Atlantis Rising
by Gweniveve Skyes
Summary: A new tournament forces Yugi and friends to confront an old evil they thought they sealed away, while an old friend struggles with the darkness he thought he defeated...Prepare yourselves, for Atlantis shall rise again... Pairs: Yugi/Tea, Joey/Mai, Marik/OC
1. Chapter 1: The Emerald God

Atlantis Rising

Y**es, this is a brand new story. It has nothing to do with my other stories in the YGO-verse. In fact, this story is written so that it is as close to canon as it can be without **_**actually**_** being canon, if that makes any sense. And despite the characters referenced to in the summary, there is no slash in this fic. Sorry folks, you'll just have to deal with good ole' hetero pairings**

** The story **_**Atlantis Rising**_** takes place a little less than six years after the series finale. The characters, are as such, much older and may or may not contain personality traits from their younger years; however, the chances of some of the characters "maturing" are slim. XD.**

** As a warning, **_**Atlantis Rising **_** is a bit dark, taking cues from the Japanese sub. Just letting you know ahead of time. And there's some references to history too. Gird your loins, it's gonna be a dozy.**

** Lastly—phew, that took long enough—as a little "homage" of sorts, chapters will take their titles from movies and shows, with a little "twist". Try to guess them all!**

**.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.**

_Shangri-La._

_ El Dorado. _

_ The Garden of Eden._

_Long has mankind sought these exotic places, where the streets are paved with gold and heaven is but a footstep away. Long have we sought these places and long have we failed, only finding streets of cement and gold leaf, where it is not heaven that is so close by, but instead we find shadows and the Grim Reaper, waiting with his scythe._

_ But there has been one, one that has been eluding us for centuries, frustrating us, tempting us, like the perfume of the woman you had once seen, but never again. We searched for it, making claims that we have when in reality, we haven't, but we like to think we have._

_ Atlantis._

_ The city of rings, cushioned by a pillow of ocean blue water. At its height, it was a city of technological achievements that the ordinary man could only dream of. A city of eternal peace, where even time stops to smell the roses of its magnificent gardens._

_ It had no idea that a cancer of proportions unseen was corrupting, destroying its core._

_ And it was all thanks to a tiny green stone, looking like glass, or perhaps an uncut emerald. It corrupted all that it touched, until it permeated the ancient and prestigious leadership._

_ But by the time their leaders discovered this evil, reaching its influence like insidious emerald tentacles, ensnaring and entrapping, it was already too late._

_ A war was waged and caught in the crossfire, Atlantis, city of rings and peace, sank to the middle of the ocean._

_ The war picked up again nearly ten thousand years later, when a young teenager was trying to help a dear friend recover his memories. This time, the war was fought in secret, with only a few soldiers, bearing Duel Disks and wielding Shadow Magic on either side. The young teenager won the world, with the help of some very old veterans on his side._

_ But the war wasn't without casualties. Trust was lost, friendships were broken and secrets that shouldn't have been were uncovered. The souls may have returned, but not everything went back to normal._

_ Unfortunately though, not all the secrets were discovered and the tiny shard of rock, that small, __seemingly insignificant chartreuse remnant of rock, survived the purge. It will keep corrupting all that __it touches, until it is gone from the earth._

_ And as one wise man once said—_

_ –"History will always find a way to repeat itself."_

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ishizu, I'm bored!" Marik huffed as he sunk down into his chair of the living room. He was completely and utterly bored, emphasized only by his almost limp position and the way he idly blew random strands of platinum blonde hair from his face. The stone walls, covered by sparse décor, seemed to echo, even mock his sentiments. He, along with his sister Ishizu and adopted older brother, Odion, were back at the underground complex he used to call "home", though home may have been too strong of a word. To Marik, it was more like a prison of stone and tradition, as evidenced by the tattoos on his back.

"You can always help me with these scrolls," Ishizu suggested from down the hall, her voice echoing through the stone complex. She had been organizing and sifting through the scrolls for almost the entire day—though Marik only knew this thanks to his cell phone watch- but even with Odion's assistance, she had only just barely made a dent in them. The Egyptian government had requested that Ishizu recover and examine the scrolls, passed down from generation to generation, to help better picture Egypt's past.

"On second thought, I could go do something else-," Marik slid out of his chair and headed towards the kitchen. "Like,. . .make dinner! Yeah, never mind Ishizu, I'm not bored anymore!"

"Now." Ishizu said, her voice as imperious as any queen. "Odion can make dinner; he's been helping me all day and we could use a fresh set of eyes."

Marik sulked. "Fine." While he had embraced his heritage in many ways, Marik still disliked looking through the mounds of ancient scrolls, reminding him of his youth, when his father would force him to read the scrolls, in an effort to learn of his role as the eventual head of the Ishtar clan. He shuffled toward where the scrolls were kept, meeting Odion on the way.

"Ishizu is rather waspish," Odion warned. "She has a touch of a headache from reading the scrolls all day."

"She does have her reading glasses, right?" Ishizu, after dealing with countless hours reading and writing, had finally gotten around to an optometrist, who almost immediately prescribed her glasses for reading. At least she picked a pair of classy glasses, Marik thought, with their blue wired, square framed glasses. He wasn't much of an expert on women's fashion, but he knew a pair of good glasses when he saw them.

"Yes, but she still has a headache. I think she would appreciate it if you brought her some medicine for it."

Marik saluted in a playful manner. "Will do!" He hurried off to one of the restrooms, where Ishizu kept the aspirin in her toiletries bag. Ishizu was in many ways like a cat or a lioness; it was always best to placate her before she found a way to rip your head off, or eviscerate you with her wit and intellect, depending on her mood. As he was hurrying down the hallway, the big toe of his foot caught on a protruding floor stone and he tripped, landing heavily on his hands and knees. Pulling himself upright, he examined his hands and knees, feeling the raw skin from the fall. _"I guess I'll need some medical attention myself_," he mused, wincing as he looked at his big toe. He wiggled it experimentally, determining it wasn't broken. It was then when he saw the floor stone out of its place, half onto another stone. He crawled over to it, to put it back into place. This happened every now and then; the stones of the complex were not placed in with grout or cement, but instead fit into place so closely that one couldn't even fit a paper in between the stones. But with time, the ground shifted and moved, forcing the stones to move as well.

He started to fit the stone back into place when he noticed that the space underneath the stone was hollow. Again, this wasn't uncommon either. Treasures and other valuable things were stowed in the floor, keeping unwanted guests from stealing them. Inside the space was a box, made of cedar and covered in hammered gold. Marik could immediately discern that it was extraordinarily old and valuable, maybe the one time treasure of a Pharaoh. An inlay pattern of aquamarine, turquoise and carnelians formed the shape of a hawk. Marik cautiously slid the top lid off, placing it gingerly to the floor. The box alone would have been worth thousands, if not millions of dollars. Marik's violet eyes got as wide as saucers when he saw what was inside.

Uncut green stones of varying sizes were stashed away in the box. Marik delicately picked one up, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. He held it up against the light, a nearby torch mounted on the wall. The stone was unblemished, with no inclusions and cloudiness whatsoever. Examination of a few more stones showed the same thing.

"Beautiful, simply beautiful," he breathed. These had to be emeralds, he guessed, obtained through trade, for the mines of ancient Egypt didn't have emeralds. The only thing he could think of was that these had been a gift from one of the other empires at the time, such as Rome. They could have been peridot as well, but he would like to have believed that they weren't. He turned one of the stones every which way and that, watching as the torch light played on the smooth surfaces. He could practically feel the power radiating from the stone, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.

"Marik!" Odion called. "Do you have the medicine yet?"

"No, I fell and tripped in the hallway. I almost have it!" Marik hurriedly placed the lid back onto the box, shutting the gems away from the world, but before he did so, he stuffed one of the rocks into his pocket, thinking no one would notice. _"It's not like I'm going to sell it or anything,"_ he justified. _"It's part of my heritage. Plus, it goes nicely with my eyes," _he chuckled at the last part. He rushed into the bathroom, rummaging for a few moments, pulling the bottle of aspirin out at last.

"Marik!"

"I got it!" Marik ran back, avoiding the stone which had been turned up. As he went by Odion in the kitchen, the older Ishtar noticed the box tucked under Marik's arm.

"May I ask what you have there?"

"When I tripped, a stone came out of place and I found this box. I was hoping to show Ishizu." Marik explained.

Odion took the box from Marik, examining it for a few heartbeats. Marik's heart raced, wondering if Odion would lift the lid, but his adopted brother didn't. Odion handed the box back. "It is very beautiful," he admired. "Ishizu will appreciate the value of it. "Maybe it was a makeup box for a royal concubine or of a noble's wife."

"Or of a high priestess." Marik added. "Either way, it will brighten up Ishizu's day." Then he added mentally, _"As it did mine._"

"Indeed it will."

Marik made his way down the hallway, to where Ishizu was. She was in one of the large rooms normally reserved for the scroll and books that made up the entire history of the Ishtar clan and glimpses into Egypt's illustrious pass. The writings were tucked away into large bookshelves of almost petrified cedar, little cubby holes where the scrolls could be safely stowed. Ishizu sat on the floor, cross legged, with scrolls around her, reminding Marik of ducklings following their mother. Her reading glasses were perched on the edge of her nose as she concentrated, reading the papyrus scroll like it was the daily newspaper.

"Ishizu?" Marik said, startling his older sister.

"Oh, hello Marik, I was beginning to think you weren't coming," she said at last.

"I'm not that bad." Marik handed her the pill bottle. "Here," he said. "Odion said you were starting to get a headache."

"Thank you." She took out two pills and washed it down with the water bottle at her side. She handed the bottle back to him, noticing the box in Marik's hands.

"What is that?"

"Oh, I found this on the way getting your medicine. It looks really old."

"It's gorgeous," Ishizu cooed as she took the box from Marik, moving it one way and another. "This is a work of art in itself. The technique looks more advanced than techniques from the earlier periods, maybe a Grecian influence. That would place this in the later Periods, maybe the 24th or 25th Dynasties."

"And you got all that just by looking at it," Marik said, sitting down. He picked up one of the scrolls. "So what are we looking for exactly?"

"The Supreme Council of Antiquities wants me to look for evidence of sanctioned grave robbing by Pharaohs, their family members or nobility. Apparently, some Egyptologist came up with the theory that some of the Pharaohs called for people to rob the tombs of other nobility, in order to retrieve the gold and gems. Then those Pharaohs would have craftsmen melt that gold and make new treasures for them. Intriguing, if controversial theory."

" That makes sense, priests did that frequently." Marik then scratched his head. "But you know that the evidence wouldn't be that easy to find."

"No, but we can find it in other ways, more of indirect evidence."

"Like inventories and second hand accounts."

"Exactly."

"I can do that." Marik went over to shelf, picking out a few of the scrolls. "Which Period should we look at?"

"I'm thinking of the later ones, mostly from the Middle and Late Kingdom, but before the Ptolemaic Kings."

"I think the Middle Kingdom is more likely," Marik countered.

"Than let's start there." Marik plucked one of the scrolls and sat down in one of the chairs to read. The chair was built in the style of the ancient Egyptians, with a straight, hard back and seating area. Over the years, the chair was bequeathed with cushions, in order to tolerate the stiffness that came with sitting in it. A silence settled over the pair as they studied.

Time seemed to pass in a slow pace. Marik had no idea how long had passed until Ishizu spoke up.

"I got a phone call earlier."

Marik perked up. "Oh?"

"It would seem that Yugi is here on a dig through his University. I invited him for a dinner tomorrow."

"Cool. It'll be nice to see Yugi again, since we haven't seen him since the Ceremonial Duel. How long has he been here?"

"A few months now. His university is working on a temple site that was once dedicated to Horus."

"The one near Thebes?"

"The very same one."

Just then, Odion called from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready!"

"Well," Marik rolled the scroll, placing it underneath the chair. "Guess that does it for the night."

Ishizu shook her head. "Very funny, but don't think you're off the hook just yet."

Marik grinned and made a bolt for the kitchen. He could feel the gem dig into his side but he ignored it. He would examine it later, when nobody was around. Besides, dinner was ready and with the almost anxious growls of his stomach, he was ready to dig in. But there was something about the gem that he couldn't place, like how it was so perfect, or the pulsing he felt. _"Nah, I'm just hallucinating about it."_

** Actually, that whole spiel about the Pharaohs ordering sanctioned tomb robberies isn't too far off base; however, it was sanctioned by priests rather than the Pharaohs(though the second part hasn't been proved quite yet). It was done to recycle the gold and gems, so to speak, ince they were running low in the various mines. Most other tomb robbers were former tomb builders who did it to sell the****gold they got to feed their families, since their jobs dried out after the 11th century BC, when they stopped building tombs in the Valley of the Kings.**

** Also, Kemet (ancient Egypt) did not have emerald mines. Emeralds were introduced to Egyptian jewelry until the Ptolemy period; Cleopatra was rumored to have emeralds. Instead, Egyptian used green glass or peridot, both of which they did have.**

** Random little tidbits there :) **


	2. Chapter 2: Princess of Thieves

Chapter 2

**Just so you guys know, updates are bi-weekly, on Friday nights. So know you have something to look forward to in your life lol**

**Maybe not. . . :)**

_"What the. . .?" He said, looking around. He was back at Battle City, more specifically, the KaibaCorp Blimp, where the finals took place. He felt the wind ruffling his hair and the weight of a Duel Disk on his arm. He hadn't dueled since the tournament, so why was he here?_

_ "Look at what the cat dragged in," a familiar voice chuckled. His hands flew to his throat, wondering, fearing, if he made that sound. He hadn't heard it in a long time, nor did he want to hear it again. "Time to finish what I started."_

_ His eyes widened with fear when he looked across the platform. It was him, a mirror version of him, with wilder hair and a crazed expression stamped on his features. His cape fluttered in the high winds._

_ He scrambled away. "No no no," he moaned. "You- you're supposed to be gone! Dead!"_

_ The other man looked at himself. "I don't look dead."_

_ "But the Pharaoh, he defeated you, in the Game! You are _meant_ to be gone!" He emphasized._

_ "Guess the Pharaoh screwed up then." The other man activated his Duel Disk. "I would loove to get this duel started. I have a few new cards to try out."_

_ Under a power no of his will, his own Duel Disk came up and his trembling fingers turned the device on._

_ "Oh goodie, it's about time," his opponent sneered. He drew his first hand. "I'll make the first move." An eerie smile spread on his already insane feature. "Looks like I got lucky tonight."_

_ "Make your move," he spat. He couldn't help but wonder though, was this a dream, or something more?_

_ "First off, I'll summon an old friend, Drillago!" A fiend with drills coming out of every limb and joint appeared on the field. A thin rope of silvery-gray light stretched from the monster's back to his opponent. "I'm sure you're familiar with this Shadow Game, no?"_

_ "Yes," he snarled._

_ His opponent shrugged. "At least I don't have to explain the rules then." His opponent then pulled a card from his hand. "These ones, I do though. I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!" He popped the card into a slot designed for field magic cards._

_ "What _is_ that card!" He felt an unearthly energy settle over the playing field and watched was a seal, in the shape of a six pointed star, ringed with arcane symbols, grew from his opponent's feet. The seal glowed a bright green. A miniature replica of the seal appeared on his opponent's head and his eyes took on a crimson red tint to them. Drillago received a miniature symbol as well._

_ "You see," the other man explained, spreading his hands wide. "In this game, you can't leave. In fact nobody can, not until the duel is over and the Seal claims the loser's soul."_

_ "No," he whispered. "I can't."_

_ -_Crash!

The sound jarred Marik from his sleep, nearly tumbling out of bed, clutching the gem closely to his chest.

_"Wait, I had it over there,"_ Marik realized, looking over to his suitcase. He had hid the gem in one of his socks. But now he was holding the gem in his hand. _"How did that happen?"_

There was a second crash and this time and Marik got out of bed, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. Ishizu nor Odion would have trouble navigating the halls at night; they new them far too well. Marik placed the gem down on his dresser and crept out of his room, intent on finding out who or what was invading their home. The underground halls were now quiet, save for Marik his bare feet hitting the paved stones. The uneasy feeling continued to grow. Countless scenarios were bouncing in his mind and none of them sounded good.

His ears then picked up the rustling of paper and Marik couldn't help but wonder if his sister had decided to stay up to continue looking through the records. However, he knew for a fact that Ishizu was a creature of habit and went to bed every night at ten, barring certain holidays. It couldn't be her. Just then, he felt something, like a boot, connect with the center of his back and he went down with an 'oof'. His back exploded in pain and he hissed as he went down for the second time that day. A boot pressed down on his back, forcing him down. The floor felt cool to his cheek.

"You always were the perceptive one, Marik," a woman's voice, thick with a Romanian accent, whispered in his ear. The voice was familiar and Marik could feel his heart sink to the pit of his chest.

"Tshilaba," Marik whispered. "What are you doing here, in my home?"

"I'm not that name anymore _Marik. _I'm Tabitha." Tabitha snarled. "And here I thought that this _place_," Marik could imagine the sneer contorting her features, "was never your home. I'm here to taker care of some business and it would be best for you to get out of my way."

"There's nothing here for you."

"On the contrary, there is." Tabitha sneered. Marik bit back a yelp as Tabitha yanked his hair, so that his head jerked back, forcing him to look at her. Even with the faint torchlight, Marik could see that she had changed. She was of Roma heritage, with a dark complexion and black wavy hair. Her bright green eyes were filled with a malice and coldness that he had never seen before, but his eyes couldn't help but to be drawn to her left side of her face. A scar, puckered and red, ran from her left temple, all the way down to her jawline, where it curved sharply, until it ended under her jaw, in the center of her chin. Her poison ring, her signature, was still twinkling on her right hand.

"What happened to you Tshilaba?"

"None of your business!" Tabitha hissed, pulling harder. Marik bit his tongue to distract from the pain, the copper tang prominent. She forced Marik's head back onto the floor. She still had a grip on his hair and a boot on his back. Tabitha knelt next to his face, producing a towelette in her free hand. "Now, I can't have you telling everybody what I did."

"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" Marik spat.

"No, that would be much too obvious." Tabitha placed the towelette over his mouth and face. A sickly sweet scent washed over his senses and he realized that it was chloroform. "Instead, my dear sweet Marik, you're going to forget all about me."

Marik fought the toxin, trying to claw at it, to yank it off his face, but its effects were already taking its toll and soon, Marik had no strength to fight it off. He could barely feel it when Tabitha let go of his hair and the boot off his back. As he fell to the floor, he could see her now blurry form walk away from him. He saw a glint of gold and turquoise under her arm and he realized that she had stolen the box. He tried to crawl, reaching for her, but his arm felt like a ton of lead and he collapsed to the floor, mercifully unconscious.


	3. Chapter 3: Across the Universe

Chapter 3: Across the Universe

Ishizu was the first to find him the very next morning, face down and sprawled on the floor. Her breath hitched in her throat as she saw the traces of matted blood on the back of his head. She knelt to him, shaking him, praying that he would stir from unconsciousness. After a few tense moments, Marik groaned into consciousness, the nauseating taste of the chloroform still in his mouth. He rubbed the back of his head as he tried to sit up, feeling the torn scalp and matted blood in his platinum blonde locks.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Ishizu breathed in relief. "What happened?"

Marik shook his head. The memories were fuzzy and dull, shadows and shapes of things familiar, but not placed. "I-I dunno—wait, I think I remember." The taste of the chloroform was serving as a mental trigger. "A robber, a robber came in. I heard a noise, so I went to go look. But, but they saw me, and drugged me. And I ended up here."

"A robber?" Ishizu said. "The alarm never went off, so I didn't notice anything, I'm afraid. Do you know what they stole?"

"I'm trying to remember...The box! They stole the box!"

"The one you discovered?" Odion asked.

"Yeah, that one." Marik's heart sunk in his chest as he recalled what was in the box. Those precious stones.

"I wonder why."

"I, I know." Marik said sheepishly, ignoring the throbbing pain in his back, from where the boot had pressed down. _"Tshilaba's boot."_ he thought bitterly. "When I found the box, I looked inside and there were these stones. They looked valuable. They were emeralds, I think."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ishizu sounded disappointed more than angered, which made Marik even more ashamed than he already felt.

"I thought you would have found them while looking at the box," Marik countered. "You know, inevitable discovery."

Odion sighed. "They will probably be on the black market in no time. I wish you would have told us Marik."

"I know."

"Do you remember what the robber looked like?"

Marik shook his head. "No, no I don't," he lied. He paused, amazed at how easily that came to him. _"Guess some old habits never really die. Or Tshilaba merely brought them back to the surface."_

"Are you sure?" Ishizu queried.

"No, I said." The image of Tshilaba, now called Tabitha, came roaring to the surface and Marik tried to suppress, for fear that they would give him away somehow.

Ishizu frowned, the grimace marring her exotic features. "I guess we'll have to report the theft to The Imhotep, though he won't be happy about it."

"The Imhotep wouldn't know happy if it punched him in the face and sprinkled happy dust all over his bald head," Marik scoffed, feeling marginally better.

Ishizu's face broke from the frown to a wan smile. "True, but we still have to report it to him anyway. What I'm baffled about is how the thief managed to break into the tomb. The system is fool proof, if a few years old." She assisted Marik up from the floor. "Now, let's get you cleaned up, you have a torn scalp, which is still bleeding a little. Then Odion and I will look through our records and other items to see if anything else is missing."

"And Yugi?"

"We might have to cancel."

"But Ishizu, just because something happened shouldn't mean that we have to cancel on Yugi. He might feel upset if we do so, since this may be the only time that we can do this."

"Marik is right," Odion added. "If we cancel on Yugi, he might get the sense that something is wrong and in a situation like this, inciting fear and worry among the other Tombkeeper clans is the last thing we want. In their eyes, the Ishtar clan has already messed up in many ways."

"Despite the fact that without the Ishtar clan, there wouldn't even be a Tombkeeper society," Marik snorted. He was walking on his own, but his legs still felt weak.

"Let's not get into the logistics, shall we?" Ishizu interrupted before Marik would launch into his rant. Marik always had a touchy spot when it came to the Ishtar clan in relation to the other clans. He was right though; the Ishtars were the first Tombkeeper clan, springing from the illegitimate progeny of the Pharaoh Seto and his high priestess. Whenever the ranking of the Ishtar clan came up, Marik almost always went into a speech of sorts, all usually along the same spiel, more or less. "But for now, we need to go through the rest of our things and I'll report to the Imhotep. Then we'll have dinner with Yugi."

"Can do sis," Marik replied.

"Good." Ishizu steered Marik towards Odion. "Can you help him with his injuries? I'm going to the Imhotep."

"Are you sure about that?" Odion asked. "We know how The Imhotep is toward a woman Head. We should have Marik go with you, for legitimacy."

Ishizu hesitated. By the laws of the Tombkeepers, Ishizu was the Head of the clan, since Marik forsook the position in his once selfish pursuits; however, that didn't mean that The Imhotep was pleased by the arrangement. Still, the pride and heritage of the Ishtar Clan rested on her shoulders and as much as she hated to admit it, she needed Marik to back her and to secure her legitimacy to the position. "Very well."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Odion pulled out some medicinal salve from a shelf in the bathroom. "This will help with the bruise on your back."

Marik raised an eyebrow, amazed at how right Odion was, but then again, Odion knew him since he was born. "How can you tell that there's a bruise?"

"The way you have been walking and how you have been occasionally touching it, like it hurts." Odion paused. "You know who the thief is, don't you?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Master Marik," Odion always dropped back to his title for his adopted brother when it when it was serious. "I've known you for a very long time and I always can tell when you are lying, even if Ishizu cannot."

Marik slumped in defeat. "It was Tshilaba, but she goes by Tabitha now."

"Are you sure? The Poisoner?"

"Positive. Who else do you know that would use chloroform to incapacitate their enemies?"

"Plenty of people. But that would explain how she knew how to get inside without triggering the alarm. Why didn't you tell Ishizu?"

"Can you imagine what would happen? The Imhotep would have accused me of betraying the TombKeepers and cast me out, after he burned the marks off my back."

"Ishizu would never tell the Imhotep that you personally knew the thief."

"But when push came to shove, do you think she would hesitate for a second?"

"Marik, you are falling into your old ways again," Odion scolded. "You are family and despite your past, it will remain that way. Ishizu stood up for you when you returned from Battle City and she would do it again."

"The last time she did, I only was able to stay because there is no other heir to replace Ishizu when she rescinds her role at marriage. Plus, my staying was at the cost of my title as Head of the Clan."

"Which was something you never wanted anyway," Odion added.

"True."

Odion rummaged around in the shelves, looking for some bandages and cleaning salve, to clean Marik's head wound. "Now what will you do, since you know the thief?"

"I'll track her, to the very ends of the earth if I have to, to get the box back."

"And how will you track her?"

"You know how."

"You know that it is very difficult to attempt magic without an anchor to give you the supply of energy."

"I'm not afraid. You don't always need the Items to anchor yourself."

"Do you have the will to do so?"

"I do."

Odion applied a dab of cleaning salve to the torn scalp and Marik hissed in pain, feeling the cleaning salve bite into any infections that might have been starting to take root. "Then I will be your anchor," Odion offered.

"I can't let you do that Odion. You've done more for me in my entire life than I have for you. I can't in good conscious let you do this. You might die."

"Then let me do it for you as a sibling, not as a servant."

Marik didn't want to let Odion do it, but Odion would continue to insist until he gave in. "Tonight, after dinner, without Ishizu knowing."

"Yugi as well?"

"I don't want him knowing that I'm attempting magic again. He might think something of it."

"Even though his assumption would be correct."

"Very much so."

Just then, Ishizu popped her head inside the bathroom. "The thief got a couple of other things as well. They stole two scrolls from the archives."

This struck Marik as odd. Tshilaba will never steal scrolls. She was not much of a reader. _"Unless someone had ordered her to steal them,"_ Marik thought. "Which ones?"

"I'm not familiar with them, but one tells of a visitor coming to the courts during the reign of the Nameless Pharaoh. The visitor was unusual in the fact that he had different colored eyes. The second talked about the Library of Alexandria and how many records were moved to an underground facility."

"Those seem...odd," Marik admitted.

"It is," Ishizu said. "I'll start preparing dinner. Yugi said that he should be coming around six or seven, depending if he can "get away from the professor"."

And Ishizu was correct. Yugi arrived closer to seven than to six, after inadvertently triggering their alarm—they had forgotten to disable it; Ishizu had reset the alarm while Marik was cleaning up. After watching Odion turn off the alarm, the four went into the main room, to unwind and catch up.

"Sorry about the alarm," Yugi had apologized, running his hand through his wild hair, reminding Marik of Yugi's shyer demeanor from when he was younger. But now, Marik was amazed at how much he had changed. True, he had seen pictures of Yugi at tournaments and he had sent the Ishtars a graduation photo with the whole gang, but it never registered in Marik's mind until now.

Yugi was leaner, older, with features that wouldn't have been out of place on Atem, the Nameless Pharaoh. His once cherubic face morphed into something leaner, more mature, but he still retained those innocent, doe like eyes that never once held suspicion, even if once upon a time those violet eyes held a trace of crimson. He was taller now, about Marik's height, but as he joked, he would never be as tall as Joey or Tristan. He wasn't wearing his leather and black attire at the moment, instead opting for a button down shirt and a pair of khaki pants, with lace up black boots, but Marik could see the leather collar at his throat and the leather studded belt, holding his duel deck. These accessories would have been out of place on anybody else, but they didn't seem odd on Yugi.

"No problem," Marik laughed. "It's been a little "off" lately. I think it's outdated."

"Yeah, it seems like as soon as something new comes onto the market, it's obsolete the next day."

"Well," Marik scratched his head, avoiding the torn scalp. "This is a few years old, shall we say. More tea?"

Yugi grinned. "Yes please."

"So, what's new on your side of the world?"

"Nothing much," Yugi replied, taking a sip of the tea. It burned all the way down his throat and it felt good, easing his parched throat; he could never get enough water in him to ease the scratchy feeling, like his throat was of parchment paper. "I'm on my dig, but I'll only be around for a couple more weeks. Then I head back to the University."

"And the rest of the gang?" Marik added. He hadn't seen anybody since Atem's return home.

"Tea's finishing up her dance school. She wants to teach dance now. Tristan's at the local college and Joey travels around the world, competing in dueling tournaments."

"Sounds like everybody's making their way in the world." Ishizu said.

"Yeah."

Marik noticed the tone in Yugi's tone. He sounded almost, regretful, lonely. _"Does he regret something?" _he wondered.

Ishizu stood up from her seat. "Well, I need to prepare dinner. It would be rude to starve our guest."

Yugi raised his mug of tea. "I'm perfectly happy with this tea right here."

"Do you need my help?" Marik asked.

"The last time you helped, the lamb turned into charcoal," Ishizu teased, much to Marik's embarrassment and to Yugi's chuckles.

"That was one time!" Marik protested.

"And the smell of burnt lamb sat around for two weeks."

"That oven was broken," Marik pouted.

Yugi's curiosity was piqued. "What happened?"

Odion leaned over. "Marik lost track of time."

"Ah."

"That only happened once! And I was up the whole night before!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She raced across the desert, the mustang she was riding scattering dust and debris with its iron shod hooves. Her mission had been fulfilled; to steal the box and two scrolls as her boss commanded. She wasn't sure how he knew their location—she suspected it was magic—but they were at her former employer's residence, in a stroke of almost perfect irony. The box and scrolls had been easy enough to steal; she had been to that place of residence before, with Marik to find the other Egyptian God Card, Obelisk the Tormentor, which Ishizu had managed to steal back from him in the early days of the Rare Hunters. She had disabled the alarm once for Marik, and she had no trouble doing it again; however, running into Marik caused a kink in her plan, forcing her to gas him. It was still difficult to discern whether he would chase after her.

She didn't know why he wanted those specific items; her employer was a mysterious man, enigmatic and furtive behind his golden mask. She wondered if he wore it to prevent her from seeing his true intentions. His pale green eyes were disconcerting enough. Tabitha had already taken a peek inside the items, awing at the resplendent green gems, despite knowing deep down what they were; she wore one herself; one on her right middle finger as a ring mounted in gold. Her employer liked gold. The scrolls, however, were much more difficult to comprehend. She attempted to read them, somewhat knowledgeable in hieroglyphics—Marik had once attempted to teach her-, but the language on the scrolls was much too ancient and old for her. She doubted that even Marik and his goodie two-shoe sister Ishizu could read them.

The night was slowly starting to break into day, the sky lightening on the eastern horizon in front of her. She frowned to herself. She had hoped to gain more distance between her and the Ishtar residence, she realized that it would not be enough. She wished that she could have had a car to go across the desert, but her employer forbade it, concerned about the interaction of high concentrations of magic with technology. Plus, a car would have been much to easy to track, while a horse was not, he said. She hated to admit, but he was right. It was best to throw him off the trail in as many ways as she could, if he even remembered the incident and if he even cared enough to go after her.

Tabitha hoped he didn't.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The trip back to the campsite was peaceful, Yugi noticed, as the jeep bounced and jumped across the desert landscape. The stars were out and in the hundreds, if not thousands, the Milky Way rippling across the black velvet sky like a ribbon or a river of silver. The poor suspension jarred him from his peace as the forest green jeep went across a particularly large bump. "I have got to get that fixed," he grumbled. "It's like a roller coaster ride." His memory flickered back to the trip to the amusement park just before they graduated from high school and he sighed, reminiscing.

He had been doing that a lot lately. Maybe it was what Ishizu said earlier, everybody was making their way in the world, separating, going their own ways. It frightened him, the thought of being away from his closest friends, especially after everything they had gone through. "Nobody can ever replace that," he said sadly. "Besides, who would understand what we went through, or even believe it?" he laughed bitterly into the desert wind. "They would probably think we were crazy, and maybe we were."

As his eyes turned upward, he recalled the Book of the Dead, the book that instructed the Pharaohs through their journey into the afterlife and the epic quest they had to go on to achieve immortality. The nighttime, while beautiful, was full of dangers and monsters. "I wonder if any of it is true. Atem, are you up there?" he asked. "Going through your journey of the night? Are you sailing through the Milky Way right now?"

The jeep gave another painful bounce, this one nearly jolting Yugi from the vehicle. "Stupid car," he grumbled. The orangish lights of the campsite loomed in the distance and he pushed on the pedal. Soon, the flat desert gave way to a miniature city of tents. One of the interns, a brunette with a pair of glasses, stopped him just as he was coming to a slow.

"You're out awfully late," he sneered to Yugi, his tone accusatory.

Yugi frowned at his tone. "I had dinner with old friends."

The man waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever, you have a package waiting for you. It's in your tent."

"Thank you, Rory," Yugi said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He drove into the site, leaving the intern, whom Yugi was certain had been drinking, utterly baffled. He pulled up the jeep next to the other vehicles, and went inside his tent, a small one, but he had been fortunate enough to get his own, and not have to share with anybody. It was a modicum of privacy, but privacy nonetheless. It was sitting on top of his cot, undisturbed. The package was a nondescript brown package, with no return postage. It didn't look like one of Tea's, who always posted an envelope on her packages. Yugi reached for a pair of scissors and cut the box open.

Inside the package was a mask and a duel disk, with a small envelope attached to the disk. Yugi picked up the mask first. The mask was gold in color and would cover nearly his whole face. The features were stylized, with heavy lines around the eyes, like the eye make up the Egyptians wore. A cobra and vulture sat at the top of the mask representing the uraeus on the royal headresses. Around the eyes were rings of blood red, made of a tiny mosaic of garnets and rubies. If he didn't know any better, Yugi would have guess that the artisan who constructed the mask was trying to replicate the features of Atem. "You have got to be kidding me," he said, stunned.

The duel disk was another thing altogether. It was gold as well, segmented, and in the shape of a falcon's wing. "Which protected the Pharaohs," he explained to no one. He fitted the duel disk on his arm, hefting the weight. It fit just like his old one, but unlike his old worn one, this duel disk had an air of regality and royalty. Like something Atem would wear. Yugi cursed sharply at the the mask and duel disk, now knowing full well what they implied. He angrily grabbed the envelope open and read the letter inside.

_"Congratulation Yugi Muto, you have been cordially invited to compete in the Tournament of Kings, being held on my exclusive island in the Aegean Sea. The tournament is to be held on June 20__th__, with pre-tournament taking place the night before on the 19__th__. You have been hand chosen to be in a field of sixty-three other duelists. The winner of the tournament will receive a prize beyond their wildest dreams The mask and duel disk are personalized gifts to the invitee, courtesy of myself..."_

The letter went on about the actual tournament and Yugi skimmed over most of it, until he reached near the bottom. The man holding the tournament was known by only one word, "Midas"._ "I guess he's going with the whole Grecian motif, which would explain the mask,"_ he thought. But it wasn't the name that concerned him, it was the hand written note at the bottom of the paper that caught his attention.

_"As Horus becomes Osiris, the boy becomes the Pharaoh. Tell me, do you dream of becoming The Nameless Pharaoh once more? I hope you enjoy my little gift, an opportunity for one such as yourself."_

"His name, is Atem," Yugi clenched the letter tightly in his fist, feeling the fine paper crumple under his anger. How could he have known about the Pharaoh? And why would he taunt him like this? Psychological warfare, perhaps? Whatever it was, it settled uneasily in the pit of his chest. He had to find out how this "Midas" knew about the Pharaoh. And to do that, he had to compete in the Tournament of Kings. He made a mental note to call the airlines, to schedule tickets to Athens.


	4. Chapter 4: Ring of Fire

Chapter 4:

**Warning: This chapter contains a bunch of magic stuff that has almost no roots in Ancient Egypt. Some principles, like the incense and the whole "Keeping Chaos at bay" are from Ancient Egypt. The rest is from my overactive imagination, inspired by Jim Butcher. Lol. Kudos to those who get that.**

** I love you Bob. :)**

Marik waited anxiously for 10:30 pm, when Ishizu would go to bed. Yugi had already left back to the campsite some time ago. Now, all he had to do was wait. The tracking spell Marik wanted to attempt was risky, risky in the fact that he no longer had the Millennium Rod to help provide energy to fuel the spell. All he had now was his will and inner strength, augmented by Odion, who volunteered to help fuel the spell. He was wearing a white pleated kilt with sandals. A thin _usekh _collar necklace of gold and enamel rested around his throat. He wore nothing else, his tattooed back bare to the world. His hair tumbled down his shoulders, freshly cleaned and with the after scent of frankincense. Purification before and after a spell was common among magicians and while it was never truly proven whether it affected the magic itself, it was always a safe bet to ritually purify themselves before a spell. As they say, he thought, better to be safe than sorry.

His digital clock went to 10:30 and Marik paused with bated breath, ears listening intently for Ishizu to head to bed. His thoughts were in a turmoil; he hated going behind Ishizu's back like this, but she wouldn't understand why he was doing it. The only one who understood was Odion.

Marik went to his dresser and pulled out one of the drawers, reaching inside for something. His hand rummaged around in there until he felt his fingertips brush against metal. He grinned in triumph and pulled it out: a silver ring with a hidden compartment inside. A garnet topped the ring. He wondered for a minute whether he should use the emerald he stowed away instead. The emerald would have a better chance of pinpointing the location of the box than the ring would, but if he used the stone, then Odion would know about it and he didn't want that to happen. He made a mental note to consider doing a second spell, one with the the emerald, later, without Odion's assistance. He went back to the circle he had drawn in white chalk on the floor.

The circle, or rather, the three concentric rings he had drawn were instrumental to his spell. _Heka_, or magic, was the divine force that the gods used to create the world, as the stories went. Humans could access this, but at a great cost, for accessing the magic of the gods took an indomitable will and inner strength. Magic was a risky thing however, because the lure of magic would draw the forces of chaos near, hence the circles drawn on the floor. The circles were symbolic of the blocking of chaos from entering the boundaries of the spell, hindering the user. Marik knew that the rings were unorthodox by Ancient Egyptian standards, but they would do. He had designed the idea of the magic circles, inspired by the magic card, 'Spellbinding Circle'. Between each ring were ancient hieroglyphs, spells of protection, like the ones on Odion's face. While the protection hieroglyphs would provide limited protection from Chaos, the real power behind the rings was tied to Marik, which was why he needed Odion; if he attempted the spell by himself, he would lose energy much faster and quickly lose himself to Chaos.

Next came the seven pointed star in the innermost ring. Seven was an important number in magic and this spell was no exception. The seven points represented many different things to many different magicians. To Marik, they stood for the seven Millennium Items. He placed the poison ring in the very center of the circle and star.

Then it was the incense. Incense went back back to the earliest days of ancient Kemet, when it was burned in the temples. Marik lit small cones of frankincense, myrrh and kapet, an incense that gave off a sweet and spicy aroma when burned, at each point of the star. Marik inhaled deeply, the tendrils of smoke dancing and caressing his face. He could practically imagine himself being teleported back in the ancient temple of Heliopolis.

He had finished the preparations of the spell; next was waiting for Odion to help "anchor" the spell. There was a knock at the door and Marik was startled from his reverie. He tentatively went to the door, fantastical lies and excuses running through his head in case Ishizu was at his bedroom door. He let out a sigh of relief when he found it was Odion at the door. He was wearing a white robe, made of linen, freshly bathed, the lingering traces of cinnamon and cedar in the air.

"Are the preparations set?" Odion asked, seeing Marik wearing the ancient garb. Marik only nodded in reply and ushered Odion inside the room, closing the door behind him.

Marik entered the circle first, kneeling in front of the ring. Odion waited outside the magic circle. He repeated the ceremonial words. "I seek permission to enter the circle, Magician Marik Ishtar, of the Ishtar clan."

"Permission is granted, Odion Ishtar."

Odion solemnly entered the ring, feeling a slight pressure, then a light pop as he walked inside. The ceremonial words were needed, for once the circles were built, outsiders could only enter the ring with permission from the magician who created the circle, keeping Chaos at bay . He knelt onto his knees, placing his left hand onto Marik's left shoulder. The left side was home to the heart, the center of creative force and magic, allowing Odion's strength to flow easier into Marik.

Marik started muttering under his breath, beseeching the gods protection from Chaos as he began the spell. The Egyptian words were familiar to Odion and he started to mouth them along with Marik as he spoke. As the prayer ended, Odion waited with a bated breath, wondering if the spell would hold. The words of the protection prayer seemed to settle onto the ring like a warm security, blanket, filling them with a measure of ease.

"And now, we can begin," Marik said, the words sounding out of place after the ancient Egyptian spell. Marik's hands began to hover over the silver ring, his eyes closed.

_"To seek what is lost, to find what is hidden. The strength of the gods flow through me, so that I may find my goal. To seek what is lost, to find what is hidden. . ."_ He kept repeating the words, the foundation of the spell.

At first, nothing happened but then slowly, gradually, the air started to drop in temperature. Goosebumps formed on Odion's skin. Then it felt like a vacuum, the air leaving the magic circle. The air started to howl and scream, drowning out Marik's voice. The room got darker and Odion swore he saw swirling shapes in the room, like Chaos had come into the room. Something struck the barrier created by the circles and the sound of claws scraping against glass was heard. Chaos was trying to break into the circle, to consume Marik and Odion for attempting the spell. More sounds were heard, unearthly sounds that no normal animal could make. And they sounded hungry.

But then, the dull embers on the incense flared up into flames, lighting up the darkness. The shadows danced away from the burst of light, wincing and letting out pitiful mews. The air seemed warmer now, but not as before. Marik's voice was now reaching a crescendo, his head upturned, his eyes glassy with the spell. The silver ring now began to glow with a faint golden light, tinged with red. Odion knew that Marik was going to lose strength and very quickly. His fingers bit into Marik's shoulder and he braced himself for the rapid decrease in energy.

Instead, it felt like water slowly pouring from one jar to another. It was little at first, but it grew and grew with intensity and speed. Odion felt like he had just run five miles. His hand dug deeper into his adopted brother's shoulder and he mildly suspected that he would leave bruises in the aftermath. Sweat poured down from his brow, getting into his eyes and stinging. His body was now going into overdrive, trying to hang onto whatever was left into powering his bodily functions, like breathing and the beating of heart.

However, this was a test of willpower, not pure physical strength; _heka _encompassed both spheres, so Odion gritted his teeth and poured his willpower, imagining it like a coursing river, churning and raging. He imagined it traveling down his arm and into Marik's spell. "_This has to work,"_ he pleaded. _"Please, let this work."_

The ring glowed stronger and brighter and was now starting to spin. It was now levitating about a foot and a half in the air. Marik's hands hovered over it, a puppet master controlling invisible strings. His eyes were closed now, though with exhaustion or it was a part of the spell, Odion couldn't discern. The hungry mewls of the shadows grew stronger, more intense. They were trying to beat on the barrier now, their constant clamor ringing in his ears. The barrier flared to life every time one of the shadows tried to hammer its way into the circle. The barrier seemed to glow constantly now.

Meanwhile, Marik struggled to keep a grip on the spell. Conducting the spell without his Millennium Rod was far more difficult than he had guessed and now he was paying the price for his overconfidence. His hands trembled and his throat was growing parched from the constant repetition of the mantra. He felt like he was getting nowhere and the sounds of the shadows were getting louder.

Then, a break through. The whole world flared to life behind his eyelids and if he could have, he would have tumbled back, but he couldn't. The feeling of Odion's fingers into his shoulders were his only connection to reality now. Images danced and flashed in his mind's eye. Places of ancient glamor and mountains soaring from the sea. He was learning where Tshilaba was going. He had no idea where she was though. Then, he saw her, riding a horse through a canyon, something straddled across her lap. It had to be the box! It was the only logical thing. The ring glowed under his hands with an intensity never seen, like it had been heated to beyond its capacity, yet still maintaining its integrity.

The spell had now reached its high point and Marik felt as helpless as a infant, with only Odion's sheer force of will keeping him upright. But then, everything vanished, the images, the light, everything, save only the magic rings drawn on the stone floor. Marik's eye widened and he started to panic, fearing that everything had been for naught. The rings that had been hovering clattered to the floor. His fingers, shaky with exhaustion, reached for the ring. It seemed so lifeless now. He held up to his face, studying it. Slowly but surely, the ring flickered back into light, the garnet on the top pointing purposefully north.

It had worked.

As he held the ring, he could see the images again, like the ring had turned into a GPS, showing exactly where Tshilaba was at that moment. _"Thank you_," he thought, eyes glancing upward. With his free hand, he waved it, whispering the words of ending. Sweat dripped down his brow, the salty tang stinging his already tired eyes.

The power ebbed away from the magic rings, until they were nothing more than chalk drawings on the floor. The shadows receded shortly after, hissing angrily that their prey had been denied to them. Panting, Marik turned to Odion, who was glassy eyed and tired.

"It worked," he whispered, before fainting. 

**Yeah, about that imagination of mine. . .lol.**

**For those who are curious, yes you will have your regular update this upcoming Friday :). Just think of this as a birthday present from me to you. My B-Day is the next day, so birthday reviews are a lovely present...**

** That was a hint, by the way.**

** Reviews please? :) **


	5. Chapter 5: Kiss of Poison

Chapter 5

He woke up the next morning, a deep ache seeping into his bones and muscles. He felt like he had just ran a marathon with minimal training. The room was dark and his violet eyes adjusted to the darkness. The cotton sheets felt cool to the touch and it felt fantastic. He recalled what had transpired the night before and he wondered how he got to his bed.

_"Odion must have carried me,"_ Marik realized. He looked down and he saw that he was still in his ceremonial trappings, save for the _usekh_ collar, which was sitting on the nightstand next to his bed. Marik looked around and saw Odion, resting lightly in a chair against the wall. His eyes were half lidded and his arms were crossed, as if he were attempting to fend off sleep. He was no longer wearing the ceremonial garb. Instead, he was clad in a tan tunic with black pants. Odion's head tilted up to peer at Marik.

"Good morning Marik. Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Like I just ran a marathon in the Sahara," Marik groaned, stretching. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"Tired, but well. Thank you for asking." Odion paused, eyes glancing to the silver ring, which was also resting on the nightstand. "So it really did work," he mused, half amazed.

"Looks like it." Marik reached for the ring, turning it over and over in his hands. He never really noticed it before, but the ring was very detailed, with tiny whorls and spirals in the metal. He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling how he got the ring in the first place.

_"Duel me," Tshilaba had demanded, hands on her hips, leaning against the doorway._

_ "Duel you?"_ _He had scoffed. "I have the god cards at my command. You wouldn't stand a chance as a moth in a hurricane."_

_ "Are you fearful?" she had taunted, her green eyes glinting. They had reminded him of emeralds, tangoing with flacks of gold and hazel. "You afraid that I'll wipe the floor with you?"_

_ He had snorted, the Millennium Rod clenched in one hand. How dare she tease him? The one who had given her a job in the Rare Hunters. He had half a mind to break into her mind with his Rod, to teach the impudent woman a lesson. "I'm am not afraid of anything," he had boasted, his young teenage side coming out. "Especially not the likes of you, Poisoner."_

_ Tshilaba then had pulled out her deck from her pocket, thumbing through the cards. "That's nice, but you still haven't accepted my demands."_

_ He had gestured for her to take a seat in the chair across from him, taking out his deck as he did so. "Very well. Maybe I'll not turn this into a Shadow Game, if I feel like it."_

_ "You wouldn't do that. I'm much too valuable to take a trip to the Shadow Realm." she had reached across the table, her fingers brushing against his bronzed skin._

_ "Mmm, much too valuable," he had agreed._

"Marik?" Odion's voice broke the memory.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright, Marik. You seemed, lost."

"Oh it's nothing. I was just, thinking." The ghost touch of her fingers faded quickly.

"I told Ishizu," Odion admitted.

If the memory didn't stir Marik, then the admission did. "What?"

"I told her. I had to. I could not lie to our sister. Besides, she said that she could "sense the magic" in the air."

Marik's mouth kept opening and shutting as he fumbled for something to say. "She-she isn't angry, is she?"

"Only disappointed." Odion added, "I told her about Tshilaba as well."

"Oh great. Now she's probably madder than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs." At Odion's befuddled expression, Marik explained. " Something I saw on an American show once."

"Ah. I wouldn't quite use that to describe her at the moment. As I said, she's more disappointed at the moment."

"She won't tell The Imhotep will she, about Tshilaba?" He sounded like a small child who got caught with the hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

"Not unless you want her to."

"Then in that case, I won't. I may not like my tattoos very much, but I would like to keep them on my skin. Not exactly in the mood for third degree burns." Marik attempted to get out of bed, but nearly sank to the floor. His legs felt like wet noodles, or jello, he wasn't sure. Odion caught him as he fell.

"Would you like some help?"

"I'm pretty sure that I can go to the restroom by myself," Marik said, a smirk in his eyes. "However, if there is an unused pair of legs on the market, I would love those right now."

"How about I walk you to the restroom instead?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He could feel the nervousness creep up on him as he walked down to the kitchen, freshly cleaned and wearing new clothes. It was like a choker vine, encircling around his chest, squeezing. Ishizu was sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of hot tea next to her hardly touched. She was lost in concentration, working on a crossword puzzle, a habit she picked up while she was traveling abroad. She bit on the eraser nub as she studied the puzzle; they were much more difficult now since she had given up her Necklace.

Marik coughed to get her attention. Ishizu's head jerked up, the pencil falling out of her hand. "Oh, hello Marik, you startled me."

"Yeah, I have a habit of doing that lately apparently." He sat down in the chair across from her, silent. He spoke again. "Eleven down is Rowling."

"It is? Well, it does seem to fit. Thank you."

"And I'm sorry for not telling you about everything earlier.

Ishizu set her crossword aside. "I don't know if Odion told you, but I'm not angry, just disappointed."

"I know sis."

"But I must ask, how well did you know Tshilaba?"

Marik bit the inside of his cheek, the memories from earlier roaring to the surface. "Well enough."

"Marik..."

"Alright. We were, "together" for a while. When the Rare Hunters were forming, she came along as an assassin for hire. So, I hired her and eventually..." He waved a hand for emphasis. "We sort of got "together". She was one of the few people was not under the control of the Rod. Then, after Battle City, when I broke up the Rare Hunters, she was angry at me for doing so." He could hear her voice in his head as he explained, her words still stinging even after nearly six years later.

_"How could you! How could you do this to the Hunters! To us!" she had shrieked, her hands clenched in fists, quivering with barely contained rage._

_ "That was back when I was misguided by my darker side. I have hurt people, caused death and agony to those who didn't deserve it. I don't want to live with the blood of innocents on my hands anymore. Therefore, I'm disbanding the Rare Hunters as of now. All the mind-slaves are free from the Rod and those who aren't, can go where they choose without fear of repercussions." He had then sunk into a seat, face in his hands, his hair a platinum blond curtain. "I'm tired," he had whispered haggardly. "I can't do this anymore, not without a clean consciousness." He had closed his eyes, feeling weary all of the sudden, like the weight of his sins now sat on his shoulders. "Not any more." __His hands had then reached up and undid the the clasp and chain that held his deep plum cloak. The cloak, now free of its golden constraints, slid off his shoulders and onto the tile floor, as much a symbolic gesture as a physical one. Tshilaba had then spat on the cloak, then on Marik._

_ "You're taking everything away from me! You're taking everything that I knew! You're taking away," she had choked back a sob. "My home, my life."_

_ "I'm only giving you a chance for a new one."_

_ "Then you can take that new life and shove it, you dirty Egyptian." She had spat. Then, she had lunged, her signature dagger in hand. Odion had moved quick as lightning to catch the knife hand in his own. He then had twisted sharply and Marik had sworn that he heard the crack of her wrist. Tshilaba had collapsed to the floor, clutching her injured hand, the knife some distance away, out of reach of her other hand._

_ He then stood up from his chair. He had pointed at the door and commanded, "Go. Leave. I never want to see you again." He had felt imperious then, like a lord passing judgment. He kicked the knife towards the door. "Now." Tshilaba skittered out of the chamber, giving him a look of pure hatred._

_ It was the first time Marik had wept since he had left the Tombkeepers those years ago._

"This must be her way of wreaking vengeance," Marik said. "But why these stones and those two scrolls? What is so valuable about them?"

"I wish I knew as much as you," Ishizu admitted. "But right now, you are the only one who can track her and get those treasures back. Do you know where she is?"

"When I last looked at the ring, she was heading north, through Israel and Lebanon. But she's going by foot, towards the mountains. I don't understand it."

"Maybe she has contacts in that area," Ishizu offered.

"Possibly." Marik frowned at the thought. "If she was going to meet up with a contact in that area, then why not use modern transportation?"

Ishizu shook her head. "I don't know."

Just then, there was a ringing, indicating that something was for them at the entrance of the Tomb, their ancestral home. Marik never liked the name of it, personally. Odion stood up. "I will go check." He left the dining room as silently as he came in. when Odion left, Ishizu looked back at Marik.

"Marik, you didn't "do" anything with Tshilaba, did you?"

"What do you mean by "do"-oh, oh! No, no, nothing like that I promise!" Marik shouted. "We were together, but nothing like that! I may have been the leader of the Rare Hunters, but Odion would have killed me!"

"Alright." Ishizu laughed. Odion was a force to be reckoned with when needed, but he was more like a gentle giant than anything. A few minutes later, Odion came back, holding a large, nondescript, brown package.

"This is quite—oof! Heavy," Odion said, setting the package on the table. "Were you expecting anything Marik?"

"No, why do you ask? Is it addressed to me?"

"Yes. Maybe Tshilaba decided to send you a little gift."

"Yeah, those stones would be nice," Marik said with a sardonic laugh. He grabbed a pair of scissors and leaned to cut the package open. "That's funny, there's no return address."

Ishizu reached for the package. "I think we should open this somewhere else, just in case."

"I highly doubt that there's a bomb or something like that in here," Marik scoffed, then proceeded to slicing the top open. Inside was a duel disk and a golden mask. Marik lifted the mask up, eying it. It looked old in construction, but he pulled a face at the image; it looked like him, but in a wilder, darker way, like the maker had studied his darker side, his _yami_. The Eye of Horus was embossed on what was the forehead. "Wow, this guy must think he's a _real_ riot," he snarled sarcastically, trying to conceal the boiling, seething anger that was welling up. "Sadist," he growled. The duel disk was violet, black and blade like, with an Eye of Horus in the center, framing the Life Point counter. Underneath the duel disk was a letter. He picked it up and began to read it out loud. It was an invitation to a prestigious tournament, where the sixty-four best duelists would be competing for a prize beyond the wildest beliefs. It was sponsored by a man known as "Midas". "Explains the whole golden mask thingy," Marik said, referring to the Grecian myth. However, at the bottom of the typed letter was a hand written note. _"A second chance to reclaim the title as "King" again. Wouldn't you love that? That's why you wore purple, no? The color of royalty."_

Marik's face contorted in ire at the letter. He tossed the letter back. "I can't enter it."

"What?" Ishizu proclaimed, incredulous.

"I'm supposed to be tracking Tshilaba to get our stuff back. I can't be playing cards when our treasures are tramping about in the Middle East going to who knows where and to who knows what."

"He has a point," Odion said.

"That I understand, but this Midas person clearly knows something about you, else he wouldn't have sent this package, taunting you. Something is up, and we need to figure out what it is. Who knows, the two incidents might be related."

"I highly doubt that Ishizu, but you brought up something," Marik agreed. "Whoever this "Midas" is, he knows things about me, personal things. While it doesn't take a genius to figure why I chose the color purple, but I only told a couple of people of the reason. So somebody is feeding him information, or something is at work. What do you suggest we do, Ishizu?"

"You need a replacement in the tournament," Ishizu said. "If you don't go, it will be uneven, with only sixty-three duelists. Plus, they won't be nearly suspicious when Marik Ishtar's older sister, a finalist at Kaiba's Battle City Tournament, decides to take her brother's place because he is "too ill" to compete."

Marik's mouth nearly hung in amazement. Ishizu hadn't dueled competitively in years, save only for a few local gigs. Ishizu wasn't one for serious dueling, unlike Marik. "You would do that?"

"Yes, I would. And if "Midas" Doesn't like it, then well, he'll be short a duelist. Meanwhile, you'll being tracking Tshilaba. Once either event is over, we'll meet up with each other. As the phrase goes, "two birds with one stone"."

Marik reached over and hugged Ishizu. "Sis, you genius! It's brilliant, yet so simple! I love it! Thanks Ishizu!"

"No problem Marik, but right now, you are crushing my ribcage."

"Oops sorry. Guess I got a little carried away. I hope it works."

"I hope so too, and I will need to make a couple of phone calls. We need to schedule flights."

**So Ishizu's taking Marik's place. Bet you didn't expect that one. Now, to get help in constructing a decent deck for Ishizu...Help? Lol**

**And remember, reviews make the world go round! That was a subtle hint by the way :)** **After all, today is 11/11/11, which is supposedly a symbol of good luck.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Man with The Golden Mask

Chapter 5: The Man with the Golden Mask

**Yes, the chapter title is a pun off a James Bond movie. Kudos to those who can guess the correct one, though it's rather easy. :)**

**And also, I have discovered the 'correct' pronunciation of Bakura's first name. It is actually "Rii-yo", like "Rio", thanks to the Japanese pronunciation of their syllables. You know, you would think that I would have realized it before, but it makes sense, now that I think about. My Japanese teacher would probably slap me right now if she knew...Huzzah for the herp-a-derp moment!**

**...Ignore me! **

** Marik FTW.**

**.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.**

It was raining.

Which wasn't a surprise really; it almost always rained where he lived. He was used to it by now, but just because he was used to it didn't mean that he hated it. Rather, he loved it. Every time it rained, it had a different "feel" to it. He wasn't quite sure how to explain it, but they just did. Maybe it was because he had lived with rain for most of his life.

Ryou Bakura, known just as Bakura, was sitting in his college dorm room. Within a few short weeks, he would be graduating from Oxford with a double major in English Literature and Writing. It was a long and arduous journey, more so than most considering, but it was still a journey, nonetheless. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with his degrees, but he had an inkling of an idea.

Lightning flashed in his dorm window, casting the city of London and the Parliament building in an eerie silhouette. This night seemed different than the others; something was in the air, something powerful, something unseen. Living with the supernatural for years, he could tell this sort of thing, mostly.

He tore his gaze away from the window and went back to his work, painting a figurine for a friend. It was of a demonic dragon sort of creature, with a hunched back and goat hooves for back feet. He lifted it up, frowning at the color scheme he chose. It just didn't make it, "sinister" enough. The colors were much too bright for his tastes. He nibbled on the end of his paintbrush, considering his options. With a huff, he set the figurine aside for now, making plans to get back to it. His friend might be happy with the work, but he wasn't. So, he decided to read a book, more specifically, Bram Stoker's _Dracula._ His father sent him a leather bound, first edition, copy a few years ago as a gift, for getting near perfect marks in his first year of the university.

_"Ironic, that everybody assumes that I have a fascination with the macabre,"_ Bakura thought as he flipped to the page he was on. _"Like I was insane or morbid, but I guess they aren't _that_ off the mark,"_ his hand unconsciously went to the scar on his chest, the one that was a perfect match to his Millennium Item, the Millennium Ring, former home to the Thief King, his_ yami_. The Ring had left a scar in its shape, as if to taunt Bakura years later, which could be the case, considering who it was in the Ring. He still had nightmares, Bakura did, of memories without a name, blood on his hands and maniacal laughter ringing in his ears, over and over.

Bakura let out a sigh and pulled his hand away from his chest. This was supposed to be time to relax, not to delve into the past. He turned his eyes to the novel and began to read, the faint strains of his radio as background. He was content with life.

Time passed—he didn't know how long, he had long since lost track of time—and there was a knock at his door, startling him. He sat upright with a suppressed yelp, nearly dropping his book. But trepidation gave way to a mild irritation as he went to the door. It was probably the kid from down the hall, drunk and with the pungent odor of brandy on his lips. The wonders of university life, to say the least.

Instead, it was a petite blond, with pale brown eyes, with a package in her arms. "Is this the dorm room of Ryou Bakura?"

"This is he, but you can call me Bakura for short." The irritation dissipated as he faced the girl. She was rather pretty, he admitted. "Do you need help with something?"

"Well actually," she thrust the package towards him. "This is for you."

"Oh? Well, thank you very much. I wasn't expecting a package today, I'll admit."

"I found it on the desk downstairs." she smiled shyly. "I thought I would give it to you."

"That is very kind of you to bring it up. If I had a few pounds, I would hand them over, but sadly, I do not have my wallet on me."

"That's alright, you don't have to do that." She studied the bland tiled floor, not meeting his face. "Um, have a nice day, Ryo-I mean, Bakura."

"You too, miss." Bakura accepted the package and closed the door behind him. He then heard giggles and he flushed, knowing exactly what that meant. He was known for attracting members of the opposite sex—and sometimes the same sex—but he never reciprocated the feelings, save for that one time, after he accidentally got a little tipsy and made out with some girl. He should have remembered that he was a featherweight, unable to hold his alcohol.

He carefully moved his novel aside and placed the package onto the bed. There was a distinct metal thunk as he did so. "Huh, that's curious," he remarked. He reached for a pair of scissors and opened it. Inside was a duel disk, black and gray, with blood red accents and a mask, golden in color and would cover the right side of his face. Bakura picked up the mask and placed it on his face. He turned to a mirror, and he brought his free arm up, like the vampires in classic movies did.

"I'm the Angel of Music..." he said, reciting a line from a classic play. He paused suddenly though, and he tossed the mask away, jumping back as he did so, like it was a poisonous snake.

"Bloody 'ell!" he shouted at the piece of gold. He stared at it for a few moments, as if waiting for it to come to life and attack him. When they passed, he knelt down and tentatively reached for the mask. His fingertips brushed against the cold metal and he turned it, so it was now facing him. Just below the eye was a scar slashing downward, made of jet. Two smaller marks intersected in at a horizontal angle, so that the scar formed something akin to a cross with a second set of arms.

"The mark of the Thief King," he breathed, before realizing that he had been holding his breath the whole time. Why didn't he notice it before? He gingerly picked up the mask and tossed it back into the package, making sure that it was face down, so he wouldn't see the offending mark. He rummaged through the rest of the package and as he read the letter that came with it, he realized that the sender, whoever he was, was messing with his head.

"Bloody wanker," he snarled, the words tumbling out of his mouth feeling unfamiliar to him; he was not one for cursing. He closed the box and moved the package aside, off the bed, wedged into a corner of the dorm room. He sat on the edge of the bed, glowering at the box. It was disconcerting, to say the least. He sighed at _Dracula_, still on the bed. He was no longer in the mood to read the novel. He reached for his cell. He had to call somebody, anybody, to talk to, but he knew few would understand what just happened. But as he flipped through his phone menu, one number stood out. Now, why didn't he think of that before, he thought. He dialed the number, even though he was a number of hours ahead of the other end, but it couldn't wait. He could apologize for it later.

"Hello, Yugi? It's Ryou. Sorry for calling so late, but I'm in a bit of a "situation" shall we say. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_". . .And advancing to the tournament finals is Joey Wheeler!" _the announcer's voice rang across the stadium, roaring over the crowd. It was far more crowded than expected, but due to a certain celebrity duelist, the stands were packed, mostly with girls, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

Joey flashed a cocky grin as he watched the computer screen flash his opponent's Life Points drop down to zero. _"It never gets old," _he thought. He looked behind his shoulder back to the audience, as if expecting someone there, but it was the pressing mass of people._ "I oughta be guessing that by __now. They ain't going to show up. They all have their own lives to deal with."_ but it never hurt to look anyway. His opponent, a freckle faced kid, jogged to him, extending a hand. The kid had made it to the semi finals by a string of miracles, according to the other duelists. To Joey, it reminded it of him, when he was younger and relying on luck, more than strategy.

"That was a really awesome duel," the kid panted, like he had just ran a five minute mile. "It was a real honor to duel you, Mr. Wheeler."

Joey took the hand, shaking it vigorously. "I could say the same for you, kid, and you don't have to call me Mr. Wheeler, just Joey will do." He paused. "You know, you remind me of myself when I was a kid. Just remember, always trust your deck. That's what an old friend taught me."

The kid's eyes grew wide as saucers. "Really?" he gasped, even though Joey wasn't sure what the kid was referring to. "I'll take that to mind. Thank you Mr.-I mean Joey."

"Atta kid," Joey grinned. "See ya around."

"Will do!" The kid practically skipped off the field. Joey pulled out his cards which had gone to the graveyard during the duel, and reshuffled them back into his deck. According to the tournament's rules, he literally had no idea who his opponent in the final were; the officials had set up the whole tournament into two miniature competitions, with the winners of each one facing off in the finals. It was to add an element of surprise and it would force the duelists to think on their feet, for they had minimal time to prepare.

As Joey walked off the field and into the tunnel under the stands, he accidentally bumped into someone. "Oof! Hey, watch where you're going!" Joey said. The place was dark, lit only by some fluorescent lights.

"Maybe you should watch where you're going, Joey."

"How do you know my name?" Joey asked.

"Is that anyway to treat an old friend?" the stranger flashed a confident and smug grin. At first he didn't recognize him, but the stranger's emerald green eyes and signature dice earring gave it away very quickly.

"Duke! You old dog! How have you been?" Joey clasped his old friend in a quick hug, then stepped back to see his friend in a better light. Duke hadn't changed much. His facial features were still angular and graceful, though time seemed to thin him out, made him leaner, like he spent time on a taffy puller. His hair was still long and raven black, tied back with a pony tail and his eyes flickered with a fox like cunning. He wore a blood red tank top, complemented with black jeans. A black leather jacket, rimmed and decorated with silver studs covered the outfit. He still wore black boots, but these ones looked to be made of the finest quality leather money could buy. "Haven't changed much I see."

"I could say the same for you," Duke teased. It was true though; Joey hadn't changed much. His face was still rugged and lean, his eyes still the same mischievous brown. His dirty blond hair touched his forehead, giving him a rakish look.

"Very funny. Wait, what's that you've got growing on your chin? A caterpillar colony?"

"Still the same old wise guy. For the record," Duke crossed his arms. "I'm growing some facial hair, more specifically, a goatee. Perhaps you've heard of it."

"Well, if you're trying to attract the ladies, it doesn't look like it would work. Butterflies maybe, but not human chicks."

"My sides are cracking from the strain. Maybe you should open a comedy club here. You'd be a riot." Duke said sarcastically.

"As long as you help pay for it." Joey replied. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I came to see an old friend. They're competing in the contest. I thought I would cheer them on, then I ran into you."

"So, you aren't cheering for me? I'm so brokenhearted."

Duke patted him on the shoulder. "You'll get over it."

"How'd you get in here?"

"This." Duke flashed a card hanging of a lanyard. "Security clearance. That and a smile and a wink. Gets them every time."

"I hope you were flirting with a girl Dukey-boy. Now about this friend. . ."

"Now, I can't tell you that."

"Why not."

"Because, they're facing you in the finals."

"Oh." Joey paused, thinking. "Can't you give me a little hint then?"

"Nope. Sorry pal. You'll just have to wait."

_"Will the finalist make their way to the stage in five minutes!" _the announcer's voice roared through a speaker just near their heads. Joey placed a hand over his ears, wincing.

"Jeez, can that guy get any louder?" he said loudly over the echos in the place.

"Do you really want to know?"

"I was speaking sarcastically."

"Me too. Well, I better get going. See ya in the crowd."

"See you."

He went back out into the stadium, feeling a tension settle into his chest. Duke said it was a old friend, but how old? And did he even know this "friend"? He shook himself of those thoughts and stepped out into the stadium, where he was greeted by the roar of the crowds and the bright lights. The hosts of the competition—a CEO of an American video game company—wasted no expense when it came to this duel. His eyes adjusted to the lights and he tried to look across the floor, to see his opponent.

"Rebecca?"

Rebecca Hawkins, his opponent, suppressed a snort, but whether it was a good-natured one or not, he couldn't tell. "I wasn't expecting you to be my competition."

"Yeah, no kiddin'. Duke said it was an old friend, I wasn't expecting that old." And he had a point. She was no longer the spirited, know it all twelve-year-old-well, to Joey she was still the know it all—but she was now a much older woman, and Joey never expected to ever say that. She was still short, about 5'5, with her pale blond hair tied back in a perky ponytail, with a few errant strands brushing her face. Her green eyes, still as shrewd and clever as ever, hid behind a pair of sophisticated, rectangular glasses with silver frames. Freckles were splattered on her chin and the bridge of her nose. She wore a pair of slimming, pale jeans with a pale rose button down shirt. A pair of expensive looking tennis shoes polished off the ensemble.

"Are you calling me old?"

"You're the genius, you figure it out," Joey teased.

"Yeah, after I wipe the floor with you!"

"Bring it on!"

"Will you two shut up and duel already!" Duke shouted from the stands.

"Cool your jets Duke!" Joey shouted back.

"Maybe we should get this started," Rebecca remarked.

"Probably."

Duke let out an exasperated sigh. "Finally."

The duel, as it was to be expected, very good, and it wasn't until the very end, when Joey summoned Jinzo back from the grave to wipe Rebecca's field of trap cards, including Gravity Bind, allowing him to attack with his Red Eyes Black Dragon, to seal the win for him.

"Well," Rebecca said, after the pair shook hands. "I wasn't expecting that card. I figure you would have brought back 'Jinzo' from the Graveyard to wipe out my whole strategy."

Joey shrugged. "Eh, I didn't have the right cards to do so. Grave Robber decided to conveniently not show up in my hand, so I had to improvise."

"That duel took long enough." Duke slid over the three foot barrier surrounding the dueling field. The stadium was now a near ghost town at this point, with most of the fans clearing out within moments of the end. "I mean seriously. I think I celebrated my next birthday in the stands."

""Don't make me throw my duel disk at you," Joey warned.

"I'd like to see that one," Duke laughed. He turned to Rebecca. "So Becky, what's up?"

"Hey Duke! I wasn't expecting to show up today!" Rebecca gave the older man a hug. As she pulled away, she took a long hard look at his chin. "My word, what is _that_ growing on your chin?"

"It's a goatee. You like it?"

"Like it? It looks like a group of caterpillars trying to mate with your chin."

"Ha!" Joey guffawed and pointed at Duke. "I told you!" He looked over at Rebecca. "Have I told you that at this very moment, you're my best friend?"

"Facebook friend maybe."

Duke pouted. "Some friends you guys are." He started to slide back over the barrier. "Now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm thinking of some coffee to catch up. How about you guys?"

"I'd love that!" Rebecca exclaimed; the adrenaline from the duel was still pumping through her system, explaining her exuberance.

"And as long as you're paying," Joey amended. "And if it isn't Starbucks."

"Why?" Duke asked.

"Because those things are freakin' _everywhere_. They're like mushrooms."

"So let me get this straight," Rebecca interrupted. "You don't like Starbucks because they're "everywhere"."

"And they're expensive."

"Okay, I can live with the second one."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Nice digs," Duke whistled. After spending literally hours talking and catching up over coffee, the trio had to split up; Rebecca had to go back to her hotel room and leave on an early morning flight back home. Joey had decided to go back to his hotel, despite Duke's offer to hit up a nightclub. So Duke, in a odd combination of boredom and curiosity, decided to tag along, if only to chat a little more. It had been years since he had seen his friends face to face.

"Thanks. The circuit spared no expense for its participants," Joey flopped down onto his bed, staring at his monotone colored ceiling, colored a deep blue. Duke grabbed the television clicker and started to flip through the channels.

"I'll bet, especially with a hot shot like you on the circuit."

"I can't tell it you're being sarcastic or not."

"Just take it as it is." Duke finally settled on a sports channel. "Why didn't you want to hit the clubs? We could have found some hot chicks to chill with."

"I'm not much of a drinker. Not that big of a fan of alcohol."

"And why's tha—," Duke cut himself off as he suddenly recalled. "Oh, sorry man, I forgot."

"No prob. Ain't your fault."

The room was silent for a few moments, with only the monotonous buzz of the sport announcers' voices in the background. "So," Duke coughed. "How's everybody doing?"

"Good. Yugi's off in Egypt somewhere, workin' on a dig. He wants to be an archeologist. Tea's in New York, at a fancy dance school-"

"Julliard?"

"Eer, I'm not sure. It had a fancy soundin' name though."

"Probably Julliard then."

"We'll go with it then. And Tristan's studying at a college to be an engineer."

"What about Serenity?"

"She wants to go into medicine. She wants to work with kids or be an EMT. She's going places you know."

"I'll bet."

"Yep." Joey puffed his chest in pride. "She's going to save the world. I'm helping to pay for her college. Mom had to drain her college money when she was younger, to help pay for medical bills."

"Oh. And what about you? You aren't going to stay on the circuit forever, are you?"

"I hope not, but I have no idea what I wanna do with the rest of my life. Guess I never really thought about it."

"Well, it's never too late."

"You sound like my mom."

Duke watched the television, engrossed in the game all of the sudden. Joey propped himself up to watch. "What the heck! That guy could have totally made that lay up!" Duke cursed soundly at the set. "I mean, my grandma could have made that shot!"

"No kidding! And here I thought that this team made the finals."

"Way too over-hyped, if you asked me," Duke snorted.

"Seriously. I could have made that, you know," Joey added."

"Joey, a five-year-old could have made that."

"Hey!" Joey exclaimed, snatching the clicker from Duke. He aimlessly wandered through the channels, bored with the basketball game already. He landed on another sports channel, this time, showing hockey.

"I'm kidding man. Chill." Duke took the clicker back. "So, date any chicks lately?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I'm your guy friend. I gotta know these things."

"Uh-huh. But no, nothing too serious. A date here and there with some girl or another, but that's it."

"Ah." Duke paused, a knowing glint in his fox-like eyes. "You're pining."

"Pining? What are you talking about?"

"Exactly. You're still pining. For her."

"Duke, you're crazy."

"Oh come on Joey. We're in San Francisco; it's a trip down memory lane for you."

"Yeah, and everybody else who was there, including you."

"So?"

"It's been five years, almost six, Duke, not freaking yesterday. Besides," Joey crossed his arms, his mood suddenly spoiled. "men don't _pine_ or whatever you call it."

"Thus proving my point."

"Look, can we just drop it already? I'm not pining or anything like that. I just haven't found the right girl yet."

_"Or you already have, and are kicking yourself for not taking the chance,"_ Duke thought, minding his tongue. "Alright, let's just forget about it. Sorry for mentioning it."

Joey sighed. "Don't worry 'bout it. Let's just watch the game. I'm in the mood for people beating the crap out of each other."

"On ice."

"You make it sound so prissy, saying it like that."

"But it's true." Duke phone vibrated, and as his eyes flickered to it, he noticed the time. "Ah man, it's getting late. I better get going. I have a morning meeting and the last thing the board of directors want is me dozing off during it."

"It would be funny though," Joey mentioned.

"Yes it would. Well, see ya."

Joey barely watched as Duke left the hotel room. His eyes watched the players go at it after one of them checked up the other. However, he couldn't take it any more and with a growl, he shut the television off. Duke's words were burrowing under his skin like parasites and it left him with an agitated feeling. He growled again, even louder this time, and stomped to the balcony, slamming the sliding door wide open. The cityscape of San Francisco stretched out before him, the buildings looking like tiny models from his view. A fog was rolling in, swirling and undulating around the Golden Gate Bridge. The thinnest sliver of a moon was starting to set over the horizon, bathing the Bridge in a veil of silvery white. The city had a quiet air about it, despite the hustle and bustle._"Best view in the whole city," _he thought. As he surveyed the area, he wondered if he could see the alley way where the duel happened. The one from so long ago. He sighed; he probably wouldn't be able to recognize it from five years ago if he was staring at it right now. Actually, now that he thought about it, he wasn't paying too much attention to his surroundings during that duel.

"Dang it Duke," he hissed under his breath. "Now, why did you have to go do that?" If he was a smoker, he would have pulled a cigarette out and puffed it like an angry smokestack.

He hadn't thought much of that day, knowing full well of the painful memories it brought up and yet here he was, playing the duel in his head like a broken record. Since then, he hadn't heard anything from her, save for the fact that she was now on the tag team circuit; there was no conceivable way that their paths would even cross again.

_"No, I can't," _ He brought his hands to his forehead, fingers in his hair. _"Not again. She's gone, she's not coming back, Joey. You know that and I know that," _the tiny voice in his head said. _"She's gone. You need to move on."_

"Stupid voice, haven't you even heard of closure?" Joey snarled to no one. "Just that, that's all I want, really. I'm not pining, I'm just—I give up. She probably doesn't even want to see me again anyways. Idiot." He gazed across the bay, trying to exorcise his head of bad memories, doubts, and half-baked hopes. He watched the ocean rock gently back and forth in the bay and after a while, he could feel himself at ease, just as long as he didn't think of her again.

There was a knock at the door. "Mr. Wheeler, there's a package here for you," a concierge's voice called from the other side of his hotel room door.

"Why does everybody keep callin' me "Mr. Wheeler"? I'm not _that_ old." Joey grumbled. He reached for the door, totally oblivious of what was inside.

**Okay, that was probably the worst way to end a chapter. 0_0 And while these past chapters seem hideously long and have no purpose, aka "filler", they do I pinkie promise. I like the call these sort of chapters "set-up" chapters because they help me establish everything, like character personalities and their interactions with other characters in the foreseeable future. So sit tight, because the plot really gets going within the next couple of chapters. And remember, I pinkie promised ;)**

**Also, remember, tips tricks and reviews help make this story better! Wanna make your opinions heard? Review! :) They make me happy and you feel good sending them! Karma points all around!**

…**.Please? :)**


	7. Chapter 7: My Big Fat Greek Tournament

Chapter 7: My Big Fat Greek Tournament

To say that the Athens International Airport was not crowded was the understatement of the year. The complex was bustling with people. The air was filled with clamor and chaos, so much that a man could barely hear his own thoughts, let alone the voice over the loudspeaker, announcing flight times and departures, among other things. The terminal was crowded, filled with tourists and the aroma of the masses, mingling with the sea breeze from the ocean. The four stared at the large screen, displaying all the departure and arrival times.

"I hate these things," Joey grumbled. "They're so confusing."

"Well, I'm sure that Tea's and Yugi's flight times are up there," Serenity offered soothingly. Her brother's tournament invitation had allowed for up to two guests and after some negotiating with Yugi and Bakura, who were also invited, Joey had agreed to bring along Serenity and Tristan, while Yugi would bring Tea and Duke.

"Dude, do you even remember which flight they were on?" Tristan asked, interrupting. "because that would probably help," he added, a bit of humorous sarcasm in the undertone.

"'Course I remember," Joey replied. "I just can't tell which is which on here. Can you?"

"Nope, it's all Greek to me," Tristan laughed.

"You idiot!" Joey reached for Tristan to grab him into a headlock, but Tristan managed to sidestep Joey's outstretched arms and he ducked behind Serenity. "We don't have time for your stupid puns!"

"Well, you just walked right into that one!"

"I hate to admit it, but you did," Bakura said.

"Great, now you're on his side! Where's the love!" Joey exclaimed

Serenity sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose. "Really boys? We're in public, and in another country nonetheless."

Joey froze, chagrined. "Sorry, sis."

"You should be," Tristan said, tongue sticking out.

"Please tell me that you two haven't started an international incident," Duke said, carrying his baggage. He had dark circles under his eyes, a result from jet lag. "I don't want to waste my money bailing you two out of here." He nodded to Serenity. "Hello Serenity, been keeping these two boys relatively well behaved?"

"Duke!" Serenity bounded to Duke and enveloped him in a tight hug. Tristan just huffed and crossed his arms. "My hug was better anyway."

"Watch it," Joey growled.

"So, Yugi and the others arrived yet? From what I can see, its just us five." Duke remarked, after untangling himself from his luggage and Serenity. He tossed his baggage casually onto the floor, then giving his hair a flick, much to Tristan's displeasure.

"Nope. Tea should be in soon, an hour I guess," Tristan shrugged. "Then Yugi."

"Looks like it'll be the old gang back together again."

"You said it," Serenity said, eager.

Joey nodded. "Yep. Then we're supposed to go to the dock, where our ship is at, and that'll go to the island where the tournament's at."

Duke flopped down on his pile of luggage with an 'oof'. "Looks like this will be a looong day."

Tristan went over and patted the man on the top of his head. "Cheer up, you can sleep on the ship on the way there."

"Oh yeah, that's _real_ comforting. And please, don't mess up the hair."

"Sorry guys! My plane had a delay!" A tall girl, with baby blue eyes and long brunette hair, came towards them, a purse large enough to hide a small child in under one arm and two pieces of very large rolling luggage in each hand.

"Here's our chaperone," Duke joked.

Joey and Tristan's faces lit up at the sight of their old friend. "Tea!"

"Hey boys!" Tea's face broke in a wide smile. "My, have you grown up!"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that they matured much," Bakura teased as he offered to take one of her bags. Tristan and Joey, taking the hint, scrambled to take the other two pieces of luggage.

"That's true and thanks boys."

"So," Duke drawled. "What happened with the plane?"

"You probably wouldn't believe it but some birds flew right into one of the turbines while we were flying so we had to make an emergency landing." Tea pulled a face. "I'm never sitting in a window seat again."

"Pretty ugly huh?" Joey said.

"Well, if a bird flew into an engine, of course it wouldn't be pretty, you dork," Tristan retorted.

"It's called tryin' to make conversation!"

Tea sighed and leaned to Serenity. "So, it begins."

"It's been beginning since we arrived."

"Ah, sorry to hear that."

"What's up with the longer hair?" Tristan interjected.

"Well, with all the fancy hair styles that some dance groups do, I thought it would be easier to just grow my hair out, so that way they can work with it. It looks better when it's your natural hair instead of extensions." Tea blew a strand impatiently out of her face. Her hair was much longer now, the ends brushing just below the collarbone. She tugged on her jacket, a pale blue hoodie. "It's awfully cold in here. Breezy too." She had decided to wear a pair of hip hugging jeans paired with a red tee with a graphic design of the Coca-Cola imprinted on it. She had on a pair of pink and brown Vans to go with the outfit. "When's Yugi coming in?"

Bakura glanced at his watch. "Well, if the screen is correct, then he'll be coming in in about a half an hour, if we're lucky."

"But the ferry doesn't leave until ten tonight, right?"

"Yes, but everybody has to be on by 9:30."

"Good thing that we got a few hours to go then," Joey said stretching. "I wanna go try some Greek food. I wonder if their gyros are anything like ours."

"That I highly doubt," Tea snorted.

"So, what's up with the tournament?" Serenity started, attempting to change topic. "Joey said that they sent him a mask and a duel disk."

"That's strange, I got one of those too," Bakura mentioned. "Yugi did too. He wasn't very happy about it."

"I don't blame him. Mine looked like some knight helmet and he wrote about "trying to be the hero, but always coming in second" or some crap like that."

Tristan winced. "Dude, that's harsh."

"Mine looked like the Thief King from the Memory World," Bakura said hurriedly, as if trying to get something off his chest.

"I think that this guy is trying to mess with your heads," Duke said finally, after an awkward pause. "These masks I bet are meant to weird you out and throw you off your game-"

"It certainly did mine," Bakura added.

"-and make you screw up in the tournament," Duke ended. "So don't let this get to you."

"Got that right. I'm going to shove this in the guy's face once we get there! Just to show him!" Joey growled.

Tristan gave him a cautious pat. "You do that Joey, just don't mention me when you get disqualified."

"Who's getting disqualified?"

"Joey, after he does something stupid—Yugi?" Tristan did a one-eighty, spinning around until he faced Yugi, who was hefting a military grade duffel that was nearly as big as him. "Yugi!"

"In the flesh, well, very dusty flesh—Oof!" Joey had just enveloped him in a headlock, giving him the noogie of the century, to place it in mildest terms.

Joey finally placed Yugi down. "Man, I've wanted to do that for a while!"

"How long have you been waiting?" Yugi gasped, fixing his mussed hair. "Five years?"

"He did it at graduation," Bakura. "I remember because he tried to do the same to me."

"Ah yes, the night in which Joey got his butt handed to him on a silver platter by Bakura," Tea nodded sagely.

"Well," Serenity interrupted. "I don't know about you, but I think it's time to get this show on the road."

After procuring a luggage cart—Tristan and Joey nearly ran over a elderly woman in the process—they made their way to a shuttle service, where, after arguing with the man at the counter and Yugi having to resort to offering an autograph, they managed to get a shuttle to take them down to the docks,since no taxi would have been able to take all of them and their luggage in a single trip.

The city of Athens was beautiful at this time of year, the effects of summer fully felt. The air was a interesting mix of the ocean and the olive trees that surrounded the region, giving it an almost salty bite to the air. Modern day buildings sat next to ancient ones and the Acropolis dominated the landscape. Tea and Serenity spent most of the car ride with their cameras out of the windows, taking pictures of everything. Yugi studied it for the beauty and the simplicity of their designs, even though he knew otherwise. Occasionally, his eyes would glance over at Tea, who was in wonder of the scene. Her blue eyes caught hold of his violet ones and he turned away quickly, a tiny blush coming to his cheeks.

_"Has it really been that long?"_ he wondered, eyes stealing furtive glances at the girl—no, young woman, across from him. _"It has been years, aside from the web cam conversations. She's really grown up-"_

"Yugi? Earth to Yugi?" Tea's voice jarred him from his day dreams. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I was just thinking, that's all."

"About the tournament, huh?"

Yugi silently gave thanks to whatever higher power was thinking at the moment; Tea always had an ability to root out what he was thinking, leading him to wonder if she was the one with powers, not him, once upon a time. He shrugged. "Among other things."

"I wonder who's going to be there,' she mused.

"Anybody who's anybody, I think."

"Even Kaiba?"

Yugi backpedaled for a moment. He had never thought of Seto Kaiba entering the duel; he had since ceased dueling since the KC Grand Prix. But chances were, if he was entering, then Kaiba would be as well, if only for the chance to duel Yugi once again. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did, to be honest. He probably did to try and beat me. This Midas character probably doesn't have anything that would entice Kaiba, nor anything that he would want."

"I hope Kaiba's entering," Joey said. "That way I can trounce his trench coat wearing butt into next week!"

"And speaking of "Midas", why did he send you guys the masks?" Tristan added.

"Well, in the days before the ancient Greeks that we know of became the juggernaut of the Mediterranean, there were the Myceanean Greeks, who preceded them. The nobles of that time were buried with golden masks, so maybe Midas is trying to emulate that by giving the best duelists, the "nobles", the masks, as disconcerting as they are," Bakura guessed.

"That," Joey pointed a finger. "Was a lot of big words. Care to translate?"

"In other words, Midas is trying to be like the kings of the past."

"Oh. Okay, I think I get it. To be honest, he's starting to sound like one of the baddies we beat, like Dartz and Marik."

"Yeah, why do bad guys seem to sound the same after a while?" Duke speculated.

"You don't have a whole lot of goals when you're a bad guy," Serenity teased. "Just take over the world and see what happens afterward." The joke elicited a couple of chuckles from the group, who knew all the well what she meant.

The driver of the van suddenly turned his head. "We're almost to the ship and the address you gave me," he said with a thick Grecian accent. The docks were bustling with fishermen and shippers, all vying for a piece of the economic pie. Seagulls flew in droves, circling like vultures, waiting for that ideal piece of food. Yachts, fishing boats and other boats of different sizes jockeyed for position in the harbor and the bay. Yugi could see the faint silhouettes of the massive shipping freighters in the distance, to another part of the docks, he supposed. The air was thick with the scent of the ocean and even with the windows closed, he could practically taste the saltiness on his tongue and lips.

"Whoa..." Yugi faintly heard Joey's voice in awe in the background and he turned to see what he was gawking at. Yugi's jaw nearly dropped in amazement. The "ferry" as it was mentioned in the invitation wasn't really a ferry at all, but a luxury ship, larger than most yachts, but smaller than a cruise ship. The hull was a gleaming pearlescent white, like it glowed from within. Golden rails accented the pearl white nicely, bringing out the pearlescent colors. The cabins were three stories high above the deck, also colored in pearly white, with golden scroll work along the edges. The bow of the ship was slender, allowing it to cut through the waters as a hot knife through butter and the bowsprit jutted out at least ten feet, almost sword like in construction and shape. The bowsprit was gold, golden swirls and whorls extending it to embrace the edges of the whole.

Duke let out a long whistle. "I don't think that's a "ferry"."

Bakura faced the driver. "Are you sure that this is the right place?"

The driver shot Bakura a dirty look. "I ain't stupid. That's what it says on the slip of paper you gave me."

"Maybe one of us messed up the address," Tea suggested.

"I don't think so," Yugi said. "Besides," he pointed to the walkway. "There's other duelists getting on the ship. I can see their Duel Disks from here."

"If that's a "ferry", than I wonder what Midas calls a cruise ship, or a yacht for that matter." Joey quipped.

The driver pulled the shuttle to a relatively empty space, near a warehouse. The group, all seven of them, piled out of the car, their luggage in tow. Yugi gave the driver a generous tip, in euros, and the driver pulled away, grumbling something about "kids" and "impertinence" under his breath and thick facial hair. As the group neared the walkway to enter the ship, they were stopped by a man wearing a black suit and an earpiece in his right ear. His sunglasses were off, resting in a pocket, and the man's hazel eyes shone with fatigue and annoyance. "Name," he demanded curtly, agitated from the heat.

"Yugi Muto."

The man barely glanced at his clipboard, grabbing a pen and checking it off. "Very well. Next."

"Joey Wheeler's the name!"

The security officer shot Joey a look that could have downed an elephant, but Joey was oblivious to the dark scowl. "Very. Well. Next." He said through gritted teeth; it was clear that the heat, even more so oppressive in his black suit, with the addition of the duelists, had clearly worn down his patience to the bare minimum.

"Ryou Bakura, sir." Bakura offered.

"Uh-huh. The man clicked his pen and handed the group keys, one for each of them. "These are the rooms to your cabins. You will be spending the night in them. Midas asks that while you are on the yacht, there will be no dueling-"

"No dueling?" Joey asked, incredulous.

"-and that you will be in the ballroom at seven pm sharp for the social. Formal please. Thank you," he added with a tight lipped smile, though it looked more like a grimace than an actual smile.

"Thank you." The group made their way up the walkway, Yugi trying to avoid all the stares in his direction. He knew he would be the one to beat in the tournament; everybody who would go up against him would be fighting tooth and nail to be able to say that they defeated Yugi Muto, the King of Games himself. When he got onto the main deck, his eyes were once again drawn to the bay, to the crystal blue waters. They reminded him of Egypt, more specifically, the Nile river, when they crossed it into the Valley of Kings. The fact that he was on a boat didn't help either. The rolling motions of the boat were all to familiar to him, even though he hadn't been on a boat since that day. That day was seared into his memory forever, every sight, every sound, every motion, every-

"Oh my goodness! It's Seto Kaiba!"

"Kaiba's here!"

"I can't believe he's here!"

The deck was now abuzz with excitement, forcing Yugi to turn away from old memories. He gave a sidelong glance at the walkway, where his eyes caught the cold blue ones of Seto Kaiba. Yugi could faintly see Kaiba's limousine pull away from the dock. The CEO hadn't changed much, if at all. His visage had grown into adulthood, lean and hard, and there was a trace of weariness lurking underneath the fair veil of skin. His frame was like his face, hidden by the long blue coat he wore. It was less elaborate than the ones he wore back in his dueling days, but the KaibaCorp logo on the collar made it unmistakable from any other coat. He carried two bags, and a uniform bag in one hand. Mokuba was lagging behind him. The younger Kaiba brother now had his hair tied back in a low slung ponytail and like Seto, his face was lean and angular, all traces of baby fat gone, but unlike Seto's, his face had a cheerful glow to it, his grey eyes alight with merriment.

Seto came to a slow, then a stop as he stepped onto the deck. He gave a curt nod to Yugi, to acknowledge the shorter duelist's presence. "Yugi," he finally said.

Yugi gave a half bow. "Kaiba, I wasn't expecting you to show up to the tournament. I heard that you retired."

"Yeah, thought you chickened out on us," Joey smirked.

Kaiba's eyes flickered over to Joey, the only trace of emotion contained in his face. "I could say the same for you, Mutt," the last word he spat, like it was a foul taste in his mouth.

Joey snarled. "I'll show you who's the mutt you, you-" He made a half attempt to lunge, but Tristan and Duke grabbed both his arms, making it impossible to move.

"Cool it man!" Tristan warned. "Or you might get disqualified!"

Kaiba ignored the exchange and averted his attention back to Yugi. "I expect to be dueling you in the finals."

Yugi crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing at the demand. "Of course you do." Kaiba snorted and started to walk away, presumably to his cabin. Yugi called out his name. "What are you dueling for, exactly? Midas has nothing you would want or need, so why enter at all?"

Kaiba looked over his shoulder. "For victory."

There was a sudden unsteady lurch and Yugi made a grab for the railing; the luxury yacht was finally leaving the dock. Joey leaned against the railing, watching the people scurry on the deck. He let out a derisive sound. "Well, Kaiba hasn't changed much, huh?"

"That's an understatement," Tea retorted.

Yugi nodded slightly. "Yeah. . . I guess this is it. _And the search for answers begins."_


	8. Chapter 8: The Good Shepherd

Chapter 8: The Good Shepherd

**No, I'm not dead lol. I have been very, very busy, since you know, we decided to jam in two big holidays in a single week. :/**

** Anyways, I may or may not be able to update within next couple weeks as I will be recovering from surgery to replace teeth that I had been born without (I have a congenital defect that resulted in eight missing teeth) and the surgery requires bone grafts from my jaw, doubling recovery time. So pray for me, if you could, as I go through this. It's my first time going under anesthesia and admittedly, I'm very frightened about the whole ordeal.**

** And on a lighter note, I hope you guys had a wonderful break!**

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"I hate camels. They're smelly, cross, hideous and stubborn," Marik huffed, balancing on his camel's saddle. The camel underneath let out a sound that seemed to be a half snort, half hawking noise, like it was ready to spit at a moment's notice. Marik clenched the camel's reins tightly, his legs holding on to the saddle for dear life.

"Careful Marik, I think he might have heard you," Odion teased. Odion was balanced nicely on his camel, experience and practice on his side, back from his days as Marik's errand boy when Marik was traveling up the underworld's ladder.

"I hope it did, and how do we even know it's a boy anyway—never mind, don't answer that." With one hand still on the reins, Marik adjusted the headcloth wrapped around his head and neck, designed to keep the heat of his face and to wick away any sweat and cool him off; however, all it had really done for Marik was to constantly get in his face and to slip out of place, forcing Marik to readjust the belligerent fabric almost every half hour. Marik impatiently blew a strand of hair out of his face and sighed. " I wish we didn't have to travel by foot."

"Ishizu said it was for the best. After all, magic and technology never mixes and when it does, it ends poorly."

"Yes, yes, I know, but geez, by camel?"

"Would you rather go by foot?"

Marik frowned, Odion's argument trumping any possible comebacks. "I guess it could be worse."

Odion nodded and nudged his camel's flank with a crop that seemed to be a throwback from the days of the Pharaohs. It was about a foot long, made of cedar which was then wrapped in leather and topped with ostrich feathers. The camel would feel the sensation of the feathers, but it wouldn't harm the beast. Odion made some_ tsk_-ing noises as he urged his camel along. The pair had bought four camels from a merchant before they set across the Sinai Peninsula; two would be used for carrying the two men and the others would carry supplies, notably water and food. Then, after a while, the camels, would rotate, ensuring that no single camel would become exhausted and possibly, unable to recover.

The environment of the Sinai Peninsula was barren and desolate. Mountains and deserts collided in interesting effects, where dunes were as mountains and mountains as barren as the inner reaches of the Sahara. But despite this, there was a eerie and quiet beauty about it, the landscape indomitable, yet peaceful, which was why tourists in their delusions, sought to find inner peace in the deep recesses of the peninsula. The sky above was a deep blue, almost turquoise, with nary a cloud in sight. The sun beat down on the pair, hammering them with its heat, the air shimmering with incalescence. They were wandering their way through a _wadi_ or valley where water once ran through. The ground underneath the camels' feet was baked, the audible sounds of the earth crunching under their feet echoing. The walls of the _wadi _soared above them, deep grooves and gouges in the ancient stone showing that once upon a time, the valley flowed with water.

Marik pulled out the ring and held it up. The ring glowed with a pale silver light and pointed in an easterly direction, the same direction that they had been traveling in. It would seem that Tshilaba, like Marik and Odion, opted to go on foot, which caught Marik off guard. _"Odd, if she wanted to clear out of here, she would have gone by some other transportation, not by foot, so why is she? Unless, unless she was using—or carrying magic—like us." _Marik's face contorted in consternation at the thought, which disturbed him, frankly. Tshilaba knew something he didn't and he wanted to know what. He tucked the ring back into his pocket.

_"I can show you, if you want," _a sibilant voice hissed in his ear. It sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't place where or who.

_"What, can you show me?"_ Marik wondered, warily. Maybe it was the heat that was causing him to imagine the voice in his head.

_"I am far from imaginary, Marik Ishtar, son of the Ishtar clan. I can show you, what you want."_

_ "You're just a stupid voice in my head. You can't show me anything," _Marik sneered, trying to make a bluff, even though deep down, he was fearful.

_"On the contrary. . ." the voice said, seductively, like the unblinking, hypnotizing eyes of a serpent, ready to seize its prey. All at once, images flew at him in his mind's eye, causing his head to explode in pain. Marik clenched his teeth and his fingers clawed at his temples and hair. He saw green, green everywhere and maniacal laughter ringing in his ears, church bells to the gates of insanity. He was standing in nothing, in empty space, save for a six pointed star, surrounded by rings of runes, under his feet. The seal glowed with an unearthly throb, near identical to the beat of his heart. He wanted to run, to hide, to be away from the unblinking gaze of the seal. He sank to his knees, hands clawing at his head, trying to make the pain stop._

_ His eyes caught the seal under his feet and he stared at it, mesmerized. Whatever it was, it was calling to him, striking a chord within his soul that he had never felt before. It wanted him, it wanted Marik to join with it, to join in an unholy union of master and servant. Something metallic and cold caught Marik's chin and tilted his face upwards, to lock eyes with one that he never wanted to see again._

_ His darker side. His yami._

_ "Miss me?" his darker side cackled. Marik's eyes widened with panic as he saw what was in his darker side's hands. The Millennium Rod. _

_ "No no no," Marik backpedaled. "You're dead. You're supposed to be gone, in the Shadow realm, or somewhere. Not here!"_

_ His yami ignored his laments. "You feel it, don't you? You feel the power, how it wants you, and you want it. . ."_

_ "No no no, I don't-I don't want it and I don't want you! Get out of my life!"_

_ "Don't be silly." His darker half took a step back, removing the Rod and offered something in his free hand._

_ The same green stone he had right now._

_ "Take it. Take it and feel the rush of power. You miss it don't you? The power, that glorious feeling of power coursing through your veins. All you have to do is take it, and feel it once again. Come on, it isn't scary. . ."_

_ "No!" Marik screamed, scrambling to get away to get away. "No! I won't! Get out of my head! Get out of my head!-_

_ "_Marik!" Odion's worried voice shattered the illusion into a thousand pieces. "Marik!"

"Odion?" Marik looked confused. "What, what happened?" He found himself on the ground, his camel nibbling on some scrub brush a few yards away, like nothing happened. His eyes turned upwards, towards the sliver of clear blue sky, framed by the stone walls of the _wadi._

"You and your camel veered off, then you clutched your head and slid off the camel. You aren't hurt, are you?"

The nightmare faded away quickly from his mind and he shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I guess I was lost in thought and I wasn't paying attention."

"Well, you better get some liquids in you before we head any further. You look pale."

Marik slumped down against a large, tan colored boulder, gratefully taking the canteen from Odion. The canteen sloshed with water as he shook it experimentally. The canteen was nearly full to the brim as he sucked greedily at the lukewarm liquid. It wasn't arctic cold, but it would do, especially in this heat. He leaned against the boulder, canteen in hand, and felt a prick in his side. It was then he remembered that the green stone was in his pocket, the same one that his darker side offered to him. _"What is that blasted rock?"_ he wondered, taking another sip, slower this time. _"and why is it haunting me like this?"_ he closed his eyes, the image of the seal practically burned into his mind's eye. _"Whatever it is, it's becoming bad news. I'll have to throw it away the first chance I get."_

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She was a shepherd, born and bred. The tradition had been in her family for generations, since the days of Ancient Egypt, her father liked to claim, though she had highly doubted the extravagant claim since she was old enough too.

And yet somehow, she felt that she was born to do something more. Sivya Amin, daughter of shepherds, didn't know what it was, but it was something more than this, this lonely life of being a shepherd. She positioned herself better on the rock she was sitting on, to get a better view of her herd, a paltry dozen goats, as they grazed on some scrub brush. The faint trickling of a creek flowed just over a pile of limestone. She nestled her shepherd's staff in the pocket of her shoulder and sighed. She was the last one left of her family, ironic, considering that her father has once placed such a emphasis on family and traditions. Her fingers reached for her_ rhaita_, a Middle eastern instrument that resembled an oboe, albeit much smaller and more primitive.

Her fingers fumbled over the holes as he lips met the mouthpiece. She had just started to play when one of the goats bleated in panic. She shoved the _rhaita_ back into her side bag and she shoved herself off her perch, staff at the ready to beat off unwanted predators, both of the four legged and two legged variety. Her hands fumbled for her knife, a six inch long blade mounted into a goat horn hilt, once owned by her father. She let out a whistle, commanding her herd to get away from the area and behind her.

She scanned the landscape, looking for the mysterious predator that had alarmed her goats, but she saw nothing, until two shadows appeared over a nearby hill. A closer inspection revealed that the "shadows" were actually two men sitting on top of camels, with two other camels behind them. One of the riders seemed slender, slight and the other, in front of the slender one, seemed burly and muscular, like a bodyguard. They crested the hill and made their way across, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Sivya sighed in relief; they weren't planning to rob her of her valuables, or they were the worst thieves ever. She decided to inch closer, to watch them, study them; it had been so long since she saw people. She managed to creep behind a boulder, almost twenty yards away. The men seemed to come to a slow, exhaustion taking their toll.

_"Maybe they're tourists," _she thought, eying them._ "but if that's they case, then why aren't they going southward, where the church is at? Maybe they're refugees from the east."_ she remained quiet as her eyes peeked over the rock. Suddenly, one of the camels, the one carrying the slender rider, bucked and snorted in distress. The rider lost control of the camel and ended up tumbling off the camel, down the sandy hill and towards her. Sivya gasped in fear and froze, watching as the rider slipped and stumbled down the hill, until they ended up at the bottom of the hill, face up. Sivya leapt out from her hiding place and ran towards the fallen rider, at the same time as the other rider got off their camel and ran down the hill, sand flying about in plumes around him.

"Hey! Mister, are you alright?" Sivya shouted, fervently praying that he was uninjured. She knelt at his side, nearly gasping as she gazed upon his features. He was tanned, with lavender colored eyes and platinum blonde hair. _Kohl_ lined his eyes, making them seem bigger and more innocent. His face was elegant and handsome. It was as if a model had practically landed in her lap. He groaned and sat upright, nursing the back of his head.

"That was quite a ride," Marik grumbled. "I knew that camel didn't like me—oh, hello miss. I didn't scare you, did I?"

Sivya shook her head, unsure what to say. "I-I thought that you might have hurt yourself when you fell off the camel. Are you alright?"

Marik nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright now-" he tried to move his leg, but hissed when his ankle bumped up against a small rock. "Maybe not." He bit his lip, waiting for the pain to subside. As the pain diminished to a slow throb, he got a good look at the girl. She looked to be about his age, maybe a year or two younger. She had long black hair, a staple for most Middle Eastern women, covered by a red and white head cloth, presumably to block out the sun. Her features were long, with a strong nose and cheekbones. Her eyes though, were the color of pure honey, nearly golden in hue, with minimal variance. She was long of leg and limb, reminding Marik of a gazelle or a deer. She wore a simple, pale beige dress, tied with a blue cloth belt. The girl wore leather sandals on her feet and she carried a leather side bag.

The girl went to his ankle and examined it carefully without touching. "It just looks sprained. If I were you, I would rest it."

"Marik!" Odion made his way down to Marik. "Are you okay?"

"Other than the fact that I'm having the worst couple of weeks, then yeah, I'm fan-freakin'-tastic."

"He sprained his ankle," the girl, Sivya, explained. "He needs to rest to help it heal."

Marik and Odion exchanged worried glances. A stop, even for a day or to, could cause Tshilaba to gain even more distance. It was time they could not afford. However, Marik did need to rest the ankle, if only for an evening. Marik hefted one of his arms over Odion's shoulders, trying to gain balance.

"Thank you for your assistance-" Marik began, not knowing her name.

"Sivya."

"-Sivya. However, we really have to get going. It's an emergency you see—ouch!"

"Maybe we should rest," Odion offered. He turned to Sivya. "Do you know of somewhere we can rest? A local tribe, perhaps?"

Sivya shook her head. "The local tribe isn't for another twenty miles and your friend cannot afford that." she paused, hesitant. "I might be able to offer a place to stay for the night though. It's not much, but you can get the rest you need."

Odion nodded as he assisted Marik onto a camel, ironically, the same one that he fell off of only a few minutes ago. "That would be appreciated. Thank you."

Sivya stood up from the earth and brushed off the sand that had accumulated on her dress. She gestured for them to follow her and the goats. "This way."

** Enjoying it so far? :). I hope so, because I know that the bouncing of perspectives might end up confusing some readers. For clarification, there are two different story lines, Marik's and the tournament. They may not seem to connect, but they will eventually, just you wait and see :). **


	9. Chapter 9: The Living Daylights

The Living Daylights

**So for those wondering, the surgery went well...I guess as well as having two screws embedded in one's jaw is; however, I did not need the bone grafts, which saved money and recovery time. (0,0) that's an owl, BTW, *points*. I still can't remember most of that day, but apparently, it was unpleasant.**

**But, in celebration of the surgery going well, I decided to post two chapters, this one and the next. The next chapter is when you folks get the first view of Midas, in all his evil sexiness. :)**

The day was drawing into evening when Sivya led Marik and Odion to her abode, a small cave in one of the cave faces of the _wadi_. It was about fifteen feet up into the cliff, with a narrow trail the only way to access it. The sky was turning into shades of amaranthine and cobalt, painting the cliffs in violet. Marik marveled at the simplistic beauty of the place; it was quiet and peaceful, perfect for the tumultuous soul.

Sivya gestured towards the cave. "This is my home. I apologize if it doesn't seem like much." The cave went in about twenty feet and as it went deeper into the rock, it bubbled out to nearly twenty-five feet at its widest point. A small fire pit rested towards the back of the cave, a small pile of kindling nearby. In the cave were natural shelves, where trinkets and other things like pots and pans rested. A hand hewn wooden cross was mounted on the wall, over a pile of blankets resided, presumably where Sivya bunked for the night.

As Odion studied the cross, which seemed out of place here. Sivya explained, "My father was Christian and my mother was Muslim. When they married, she converted and as a gift, my father made the cross for her."

"Ah."

Sivya tossed a few pieces of kindling into the fire pit and lit the fire. "I have some preserved meat if you wish."

"We have some food of our own," Marik replied. "If you want, you can have some with us."

"That would be nice, thank you."

"Don't thank us; you let us stay here for the night," Marik said. "It's only right."

They sat down to a meal of simple bread, cheeses and some of Sivya's preserved meat, heated over the small fire, which banished the harsh cold of the desert night. For dessert, they had some fruit that Marik and Odion had brought as well. It was quiet after the meal though, each with their own thoughts. Odion had decided to sleep shortly after finishing, exhaustion wearing him down as a tide would beat at cliffs. Marik tried to sleep, but he found himself gazing at the fire, which had died down to a small warm flame. The dance of the flames kept him mesmerized, reminding him of dancers or the movement of silk ribbons, both very beautiful. The reds and the oranges, with the occasional flashes of blues and whites caught his attention, allowing him to be distracted, if only for a little while.

But even then, the fire's waltz could not keep the nightmare from earlier at bay. He closed his eyes, trying to banish them away, but the green pulsed behind his eyelids and the laughter, faint as it was, still rang in his ears. He frowned at the thoughts and sat upright, tossing his blankets aside as he did so. Maybe if he went for a walk, that could stave the thoughts away, he hoped. However, as his eyes went to the cave's exit, he saw a silhouette sitting at the cave's edge. He couldn't tell who it was by looking inside the cave, for the dull fire light only showed lumps of shadows. Marik inched towards the cave entrance and closer to the figure.

When his eye's finally adjusted to the dark, he realized that it was Sivya, perched just outside the entrance, face upturned towards the skies. At Marik's coming, her head turned and she acknowledged him with a nod. "You cannot sleep either?"

Marik shook his head. "No, not really. Just restless."

"Is your ankle better?"

"Yeah, actually. Much better." He flexed it for emphasis.

Sivya gestured for him to sit next to her. He did, feet dangling over the edge. The trail that led them to the cave sat in the corner of his right eye. Everything was bathed in starlight, a blanket of argent. The camels rested with the goats down in the bottom of the _wadi. _"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Sivya began.

"Quite."

"My father told me once that the stars would always be there, even when we aren't. He said that God had made them to light up the dark, like little candles in the sky that will never go out."

"Your father sounds like a wise man."

Sivya fiddled with her shepherd's staff. "He was. He died some time ago, after my mother. He missed her so much."

Marik felt awkward then, after the divulgence of such personal information. "I'm sorry to hear that." He wished he had something better to say though.

"It's okay. They're both in Heaven now, so I'm not sad for them."

"Oh." Marik was never one for religion, after being steeped in tradition and ancient religion since birth, like a tea bag that has been in the water for so long; he felt jaded towards it, especially after witnessing what people have done in the name of their 'religion' during his travels. "You know," he finally said. "I never knew my mother either. She died when I was born. I didn't know my dad very well either. He died when I was a kid. _By my own hands_." he mentally added. It was like an ironic version of the Biblical story of Abraham and Issac. But this time, there was no angel to stave his hand until after the deed, when the blood was on his hands and no idea how it got there.

"Are you the last one of your family then?" Sivya asked.

"No, thankfully. I have my sister Ishizu, who's back at home, and Odion."

"That's good. Siblings are good to have around. But when I first saw you, I thought Odion was your bodyguard, not your brother."

Marik smiled. Odion always seemed to have that impression on people. "He's my brother alright. But he does look like my bodyguard though, huh?"

"Yes." Sivya hesitated for a beat. "Marik?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you been to the city?"

"Tons of times. Why do you ask?"

"I have never been to the city before. What's it like?"

"Well, there's lots of people and animals and buildings, all crammed into this tiny space. It's crowded and noisy and sometimes it smells. Bad."

"That makes it sound horrible then," Sivya remarked.

"Yeah, but at the same time, you can see and do all sorts of things that you couldn't do before. You don't have to hunt or search for your food either."

"What about the stars?" Sivya asked suddenly. She sounded enamored with the idea of the city.

"What?"

"The stars. Can you see them at night?"

"Sometimes," he admitted. "But it's only the brightest ones."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed. "My brother, Hassan, once told me that at night, all the city lights look like stars, like the sky and the earth switched places. He said they were golden and warm, and beautiful."

"That's one way to describe them," Marik professed. "I never saw them that way before."

"You said that there are lots of people in a city, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you met two people named Hassan and Ahmed Amin, while you were in the city?"

"No, no I haven't. Are they your brothers?"

"Yes. They went to the city some time ago, to make a new life for themselves. They told me that they would come for me once they became successful, as long as I stayed here, where they could find me."

"When did they leave?"

"Almost two years ago." She wavered at the end.

Now Marik felt even more uncomfortable. He was unused to people sharing details of their personal lives with him and the sudden influx of information, especially with someone he would probably never see again, felt even unpleasant, but he guessed that since Sivya hadn't seen people in a long time, she probably had no one to talk to for a very long time, except if one can count her goats. "Maybe they're in a different city," Marik suggested. " There are lots of cities by the Nile. Do you know which city they went to?"

"They called it "Cairo"."

Marik winced. With the recent uprising in the capital, there had been reports of crackdowns by the authorities, resulting in the injury or deaths of the protesters. If Sivya hadn't heard from her brothers by now, the chances of them being dead were more than likely, especially if they were Coptic Christians, from the impression he got. If they weren't dead because of the authorities, then from some other cause, like extremists. "I admit, I've only been to Cairo once. I probably saw them without even knowing them. I bet that they're just trying to make the best life possible for you when you arrive."

"I hope so." Her eyes gazed out forlornly at the landscape, which seemed so empty now. "There's nothing left for me here."

"There's always something," Marik offered.

"Perhaps." She looked back onto Marik. "It is getting late. You should get some rest. I apologize for telling you all of this."

Marik stood up, slapping the dust and sand off his clothes. "Don't worry about it. I understand. I would do the same if I were you. Good night Sivya."

"Good night Marik." As he went back inside, she gave a wistful smile. He was such a gorgeous man, she conceded. _"Surely he must have a wife or fiance waiting for him back home." _And speaking of home, she glanced back at the landscape, barren as it was. A feeling stirred up inside of her, one that she felt plenty of times before, on nights like this.

Melancholy.

As she had told Marik, there was nothing left for her out in the desert. No family, save for her goats, and no hopes, with no chance of ever making something of herself. She was trapped, trapped behind walls of stone and traditions. There had to be a way out.

She froze, something coming to her in that instant, like a lightning bolt from the sky. She could leave, yes, that's what she could do, but where would she go? How would she fit in? She shook her head. There was no point in worrying about those things yet, at least, not until she got there. She glanced back to the cave. And Marik would help her. She could travel with them, where ever they were going. She could be useful; she could lead them in the desert, she could cook, she could do just about anything they asked, without violating her own moral code. Yes, that's what she would do; she would leave and never come back. She could sell her goats to a local tribe and then finally be free.

She felt exuberance bubble up inside her, banishing the melancholy as a sun would clear the clouds. It felt good and she almost let out a bout of laughter to the night sky, but as she remembered her guests were sleeping, she paused, respectful. But she couldn't help but whistle an old hymn her father would sing to her when she was a child, to help her sleep. The words were now a fuzzy memory, but the melody was still there. She ducked back inside the cave, just as a shooting star shot over, its tail blazing gold and fiery sparks. If she had known, she would have made a wish on it, but wishes aren't always wishes.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Marik woke up the following morning feeling achy and tired. He had gotten little sleep the night before, despite talking with Sivya and relaxing his nerves a little. He and her had much more in common, he noticed. He slowly sat upright, massaging the various aches and sore he accumulated during the night. _"Yeah, sleeping on rocks is not the best idea,"_ he determined. He rolled out his shoulders, feeling the tight muscles knot and bunch up with every movement. _"And now I have to ride a camel again as well. Yippee." _ He stood upright, only to find Odion packing their bags for the trip. Sivya was nowhere in sight. _"She must be watching her goats,"_ he thought.

"Morning Marik," Odion greeted, not looking up from packing.

"Morning Odion," Marik came up next to him and began to pack as well.

There was a pregnant pause between the two until Odion spoke up, sounding unsure as the words tumbled out of his mouth. "Sivya wishes to travel with us."

Marik nearly dropped the canteen he was holding. "What?" he nearly sputtered.

"She confided in me earlier this morning, as you were sleeping. She wishes to escape from here, she said, to find her purpose in life." He threw Marik a wry smile, despite the unease. "Sound familiar?"

It was all too familiar to him. It was like staring into a mirror, save for the gender difference. Sivya wanted to leave and he didn't blame her. He he was in her shoes, he would want to leave too. But what about their travel arrangements, their plans? Sivya would be nothing more than a third wheel to them. Sure, she could act as a guide, but she knew nothing about why they were traveling or even where they were going. She was blissfully, perhaps ignorantly, unaware of their real purpose.

And yet, they may prove to be an advantage to them, well, to Marik at least. How, he had no idea at the moment. But to leave her here would feel like a tragedy to him, to waltz away while she whittled her life away here in the _wadi_. He made a snap decision.

"Then let her come," he decided, much to Odion's near astonishment.

"Marik?. . ."

"If you say that she's like me, then would it not be unfair to leave her here like some abandoned puppy while we leave here scott free."

Odion mulled it over for a moment, finally nodding, a twinkle in his eye, even though Marik couldn't discern why there was one. "And all of our arrangements?" he asked.

Marik waved a dismissive hand. "We can figure it out when we get there."

Odion looked as if he was going to roll his eyes, but didn't. "Brilliant," he remarked, before shouldering most of the packs and making his way out of the cave and to the camels, who looked reluctant to leave. Sivya came up into the cave minutes later, her face alight with delight and freedom, Marik thought. She almost embraced him, but paused and backed off. Marik was left with a feeling of disappointment for some odd reason.

"Thank you very much. I wish I could find a way to repay you," she added.

"You don't need to repay me. I mean, if you want to though, you can," he teased. Sivya giggled at the joke, a hand over her mouth. "But in all seriousness," he began. "I was once in your shoes, so I understand how you feel."

Sivya flashed a faint smile, not knowing what to say. Instead, she walked by him, kneeling to star packing her things. She hesitated though, hands clutching one of the pots. Her thoughts were in a turmoil at the dizzying prospect of escaping, but what about her brothers? What if they came back when she was gone? Would they know where she was? Would they look for her? She placed the pot back, hands folding in her lap. She took a deep breath and reached for a piece of paper. She had to settle for an old pen left over from her father's belongings. Her handwriting was shaky, but she managed to scribble something down. Marik wondered what it was, but he decided not to pry into personal affairs. She slid the paper towards the back of the cave, away from the sunlight and dust of the desert. When she finally did so, she reached for the cross on the wall, cradling it in her hands. She slowly stood back upright. "I'm ready."

**I love Sivya, she's so sweet and normal, compared to the rest of them. It's funny how she in comparison to the rest of them. It's a lovely contrast, actually. There are a handful of OCs left in this story, for those who are curious, but they don't dominate the story. :)**

**Oh, and good news! I got a Live Journal Account! I had been thinking about it and eventually, I was persuaded to set up an account. I'll post things about this story, including character Bios and background information, for those who want to see them, plus my random ramblings, which are entertaining, sort of.. I go by the same pen name there as I do here, so send me one of those friend thingys, I'll be more than happy to be your friend there!**

**Peace! **


	10. Chapter 10: Kings of Mycenae

Chapter Ten: Kings of Mycenae

"There, I think that should do it," Tea mumbled, a pair of bobby pins clenched between her lips. At the moment, she was working with Serenity's hair for the formal event later that evening, in which Midas would announce the rules of the tourney. Serenity was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed, with Tea behind her kneeling, assorted hair decorations at hand. "Maybe this'll stick, I hope." Currently at the moment, Serenity's hair had made the decision to not cooperate, thus providing a source of near endless frustration and experimentation as Tea attempted to create a half-up, half down, hair style. The curling iron and blow dryer, along with hair spray and enough bobby pins to make McGyver a happy camper for at least one season, Tea decided.

"Thanks for the help Tea," Serenity said. "I didn't think that it would be such a big—Ow!-pain."

"Sorry Serenity, didn't mean to pull," Tea apologized. Serenity could feel Tea tug and pull on her hair, as the older girl tried another style. "Wait, wait, almost there. . .aha! Got it! Grab the spray for me please? This is going to look fantastic with those bare shoulders of yours."

"I hope so," Serenity replied; for the event, she had opted for a pale violet dress that covered one shoulder, leaving the other exposed. A ruffled pattern flowed down her back, starting at her hips, adding width to the dress.

"Tea! Tea!" Joey's plaintive voice called out to her from the hallway, startling her and nearly ruining the style. "Can you help us? We can't get Yugi's tie right!"

"We?" Tea could hear Yugi's voice as well. "you almost choked me!"

"It's your stupid tie!"

Tea, while holding Serenity's hair, shouted. "I'm kind of busy here! Go bug Duke or something!"

"He's too busy flirting, Tea! Can you help us!"

"What are you Joey, like, two!"

Tea sighed and went back to Serenity's hair. "Thankfully I'm just about finished. There!" Tea took a step back, admiring her work; even with all the set backs, the hair style had turned out wonderfully. The top part of the style was a loose bun, with a few curling strands done with the curling iron, then sprayed to set into place. The bottom part was in loose curls, looped gracefully over one shoulder, leaving the bare one exposed. Tea grabbed the hair spray and curling iron, one in each hand. She sighed once again as she heard the commotion from the hall. "Don't make me spray you two!" At last, Joey and Yugi came into the room. Yugi's tie was in a horrible knot, with a bare semblance to an actual bow tie. Joey's was a little better, but not by much. Serenity slid off the bed and went to her older brother.

"Here Joey, let me help you with that," she said, steering Joey out of the room.

"My tie looks fine thank you-what on earth are you wearing?"

"It's called a dress and right now, I need to knock some fashion sense into you."

"But why not in there?"

"Because. . . of reasons that shall be known at a later time."

"That made no sense. . . ooohhhhh." The Wheeler siblings were finally gone from the room, leaving Tea and Yugi.

"Here," Tea patted the bed. "Sit here and I'll fix the tie." Her fingers worked to deftly undo the hideous mess that Joey made of the bow tie. As she tried to pull one of the ends through, her fingers accidentally brushed up against Yugi's neck. "Sorry about that," she flushed.

"It's no problem really," Yugi replied, his flush as equally red as Tea's. He finally caught notice of Tea's dress, making him flush even deeper. She had gone with a deep blue, almost midnight blue dress, made of satin, which caught the light at different angles, revealing even more shades of blue in the satin depths. It brushed the floor, with a six inch train behind it. The dress was strapless, with a low cut back laced up with a lighter blue—but not much lighter—ribbon. Silver heels peeped out from underneath the train. Her hair was left down and in waves.

"Joey nearly hung you with this horrendous knot," Tea grumbled, tugging on the tie. "It would make an executioner proud."

"He nearly hung himself," Yugi joked, recalling how Joey worked his tie. Thankfully Serenity was on the case. The joke earned a few chuckles from Tea, who finally got the knot out and was doing the tie over again, properly this time. After a few minutes, Tea finished, giving it one last pull to make sure it didn't fall apart at the formal event. "Do all girls have some innate sense on how to do ties?" he asked, after eying the bow tie, which looked much better than the last one.

"Well, after taking care of you guys for most of high school, it came with practice. Somebody in the group had to learn how to do a tie." Tea teased.

"Hey!" Yugi protested.

"If you remember right, I had to do all of the ties at prom. _That_ was an interesting experience. Sort of like herding cats."

"I take offense to that."

"Yeah, those poor cats." Tea stood up from the bed, straightening out her dress. "Well, should we get going?"

Just as Yugi opened his mouth to speak, Joey's head popped in the room. "Hey, you two lovebirds comin' or what? All the good food is going to be gone!"

"Joey!" Serenity hissed, yanking him back.

"Ah Joey, always thinking with his stomach first." Yugi chuckled. He offered and arm to Tea. "Shall we go meet this Midas?"

Tea took his arm, despite her being taller than her friend. "Yes, let's."

Yugi took a deep breath just as they crossed over the threshold. _Let the games begin,_ the tiny voice in his head said, almost mockingly.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Mai!" A voice screeched. "You get your butt here right now! You're going to this thing with me and that's final!" A woman, of Asian, perhaps Chinese descent, was standing outside a room, foot tapping the floor; if said foot tapped any harder, there would a hole worn through the carpet and floor. Her features would have been considered exotic and maybe beautiful, if it weren't for the scowl marring her face.

"I told you, I said I was working on my deck!"

"You're always "working" on that deck of yours! Besides, you have to meet the host. It's poor manners!" The woman, Vivian Wong, shouted at the door.

"What would you know about manners?" The other voice replied.

"Ooooohh! Mai you infuriate me, you know that?" Vivian stomped her foot. She bit her lip, trying to find some other way to cajole the other duelist out of seclusion. "Well, how on earth am I supposed to have a wingman-er woman when I'm down there?"

The door creaked open to reveal Vivian's target of rage, Mai Valentine. She cocked a single eyebrow in disbelief at her comment. "Really Vivian, that's your reason?"

Vivian shrugged. " I managed to get you to open the door, didn't I?"

Mai rolled her eyes and waved her deck, secured in a clear case. "The tournament starts tomorrow in case you didn't remember."

"It's only one night," Vivian huffed. She frowned. "What's up with you? Ever since we got those invites, you've been acting like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. It's weirding me out, like someone flipped a switch on you from 'fun' to 'serious'."

"I'm fine Vivian, I promise." Mai began to close the door but then Vivian slid her foot in the gap, forcing the door open. Vivian grabbed the door and tried to pry it open.

"Just one night, that's all I'm asking. It might be good for you."

Mai sighed. When Vivian Wong wanted something, whether it was the cute waiter in the restaurant or a win in a tag team tournament, she went for it like a shark, consequences tossed aside. "Fine." She said, knowing that Vivian would stand in front of her room that entire night and berate her. "I'll go." She nudged Vivian's foot out of the way and started to close it. "Be out in fifteen." The door slammed shut and Vivian couldn't help but gloat, until something struck her.

"You did bring a dress right?"

Mai let out a breath of exasperation as she leaned into the door. The girl was impossible, to say the least. She tossed her deck onto the bed, next to her duel disk, courtesy of the host, Midas. It was in the shape of a feather, violet, with a green orb in the core of the disk. The green orb reminded her of the DOMA duel disk she once had, the duel disk that she tossed promptly out a hotel window after the DOMA incident. Irony and karma had come back to bit her, a cruel cycle of fate. That was why she didn't feel like going to the festivities, because she knew that _they_ would be there.

Especially him.

But she knew that she couldn't hide from _them_ forever. She had to run into them sometime during the tournament. What would she say? How could she explain herself to _them?_

_"Be a big girl and bite the bullet,"_ she berated herself. _"You can't keep running forever; you get tired and it catches up to you eventually."_ The last part was scrawled at the bottom of her invite.

"He's playing mind games. Get a hold of yourself," she mumbled as she reached for her dress bag. She unzipped it and held up two dresses. "Now, which one should I pick?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Holy smokes Joey, this place is huge!" Tristan gawked, gazing at the main room, the "Atrium" as Midas called it. The room must have been at least a hundred feet long, and fifty-five feet across. A crystal chandelier graced the center, hundreds of crystals reflecting the light, turning the room into a kaleidoscope of colors. The room was painted a pale golden yellow, with crown molding of a darker hue. The walls were paneled with frescos and friezes depicting scenes of ancient Greece, images of gods and heroes frolicking with their lesser kin, creatures fearsome and beautiful dancing with their kindred. Yugi was positive that they were somehow real, actual pieces of Grecian history on the walls. Busts and other pieces of art sat along the edges, gazing on with blank staring eyes at the festivities. Two sets of French doors graced the port side, opening out to the deck, where the stars could be seen in plain view. A spiral staircase made of wrought iron rested on the starboard side, leading up to the upper cabins of the liner.

"No kidding." Duke looked around, fiddling with a flute of water. "I bet that even Kaiba or even Pegasus doesn't have anything like this."

"Would you like to bet?" Mokuba replied, sneaking up behind him. He was wearing a tuxedo of a well known designer, Armani, with silver and gold cufflinks.

Joey leaned into Tristan. "I bet he named after a dragon," he whispered. Tristan snickered.

"Actually, he named it after our mother," Mokuba said, looking somewhat cross.

"Oh." Joey turned sheepish. "My bad." Tea could only sigh.

"Brilliant," she mumbled.

Bakura, who had been quiet for most of the evening, finally spoke up. "I wonder when the host is going to arrive."

"If he even does," Duke snorted. "He probably has some lackey spout off the rules while he sits in the lap of luxury."

"Sounds more like Pegasus to me," Mokuba remarked.

"Speaking of rich goons, have you heard anything about Midas?" Yugi asked Mokuba.

The younger Kaiba sibling shook his head. "Nothing. I mean, if he's as rich as he looks, then Seto would have heard _something_ about him, especially if he's into gaming tournaments, but we've heard nothing. It's as if he practically materialized out of mid-air."

"Sounds creepy to me," Joey added with a shudder. He paused. "Has anybody seen Serenity?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The din of the party was behind her as she leaned into the railing of the deck, letting the breeze, faint as it was, tickle her senses. The saltiness of the air was practically seeping into her consciousness, bringing back memories of her childhood, when she and Joey had that day to themselves, down at the beach. A puff of air fluttered the fabric of her dress and hair, shaking a few strands loose from her hair style. The Grecian décor, along with her dress, made her feel like a goddess, Aphrodite rising from her proverbial oyster. It was simply magical, the landscape was. Shame that her friends decided to stay inside, but they were waiting on this "Midas", whoever he was. She fingered the flute of her glass, filled with non-alcoholic champagne; like Joey, she disliked alcohol and its taste, associating it with bad memories. The flute was half empty, the bubbles dying down to a faint trickle

She never felt so free, so unshackled. No mother to dictate her life choices, no older brother, as loving as he was, looking over her shoulder, scaring away any potential suitors like a frothing dog; there was nothing out here to confine her. She glanced down at the waters splashing against the sides. _"I wonder what it would be like, to dive into those waters on a night like this,"_ she pondered, the black waters seeming endless and bottomless. _"Might ruin the dress though."_

But, despite those shackles, she didn't mind. She was spending time with her brother, watching him duel in person for the first time since Battle City. Her mother had refused to let her attend the Grand Prix, citing something about studying for school and some other excuses. Both Wheeler siblings were miffed about the incident, regardless. She leaned more over the railing, letting the wind shake loose her hair to fall as auburn curls. Serenity hesitated though, for a split second. The din at the yacht had grown louder, shattering her reverie.

She took a step back, as if to go inside, until she accidentally bumped into someone. Her champagne sloshed out of the flute, landing partly on the deck and the rest over the side.

"Oh no!" she gasped, embarrassed. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" The words came out in a flurry, as she scrambled to find something to say.

The person she bumped into, a man, gave her a grin. "No worries, miss. Don' worry 'about it." He winked one startlingly blue eye at her. He had a Australian accent, not so strong so that it screamed stereotypical, but enough so that she could pick up his country of origin. He had chestnut brown hair, in a style very much like Yugi's, but less wild. His eyes held a cheeky glow, like he was ready to do something mischievous and he was taking the person nearest to him for the ride of their lives.

For the first time in a long time, Serenity felt flustered. Not because she had spilled her drink, but because he was so disarmingly charming, and she had just met him. "I didn't get my drink on you, did I? I mean you-I mean, your tux, looks very nice and I didn't want anything to get on it. _Congratulations Serenity, you look like an idiot,"_ she scolded herself.

The stranger flashed another grin, this one bigger than before. "Nope, don' see any on me. 'ow about you?"

Serenity scanned her dress. "I don't see any on me either."

The stranger leaned over the railing, where the rest of the drink went to. "Well, it looks like t'e fishes will be 'havin' a party tonig't." He said cheerfully. Suddenly, he stuck out a hand. "T'e name's Valon. Yours?"

She took his hand surprised at the calluses on them. "Serenity. It's nice to meet you." The strange flustering feeling as back and in full force. She prayed that her hand wasn't sweaty.

"Pretty name for a pretty lady," he winked, earning a flush in the process.

"Um, thank you," she replied, biting her lip.

"So, are you a duelist 'round 'ere?" he asked.

"No, I'm not very good. I'm here to watch my brother though."

"Ah. Maybe I'll be duelin' 'im t'en." Valon leaned against the railing, eying the girl. She seemed achingly familiar, like he had seen her before, or someone who looked like her at least. If he did see her before, he would have most definitely remembered it. He had a thing for women with long hair. Of course, he was completely unaware of the irony at hand.

"Maybe," Serenity replied, unsure whether to tell him who her her brother was. If she did, she could give away her brother to her future opponent and she didn't want to do that. Discretion was key and she decided against it. He'd figure it out eventually. _"Let's hope that Joey doesn't scare him away." _ she prayed. "Well," she began. "I better get back inside. My brother and his friends are probably looking for me."

"'ope I'll see you around, Serenity," He watched her as she went back inside, the fabric of her dress swaying with her movement. He was still plagued though, by the nagging sense that he'd seen her before.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Serenity! There you are!" Joey tugged his sister back to their group, balancing a tray of hor d'oeuvres with one hand, while the other had Serenity by the hand. "We were looking for you, you know."

"It wasn't like I disappeared off the ship," she insisted. "I just went to get some air, that's all. It gets a little stuffy in here."

Her older brother tugged at his tie. "Got that right. I hope we can finally meet this guy so I can get this stupid thing off. Either that or when his security goon leaves. I don't think he likes me very much."

"Gee, where would you get that idea?" she teased. He growled playfully and would have made a spirited swat towards her, were it not for the plate of food he was balancing precariously. She cheekily stuck out her tongue as he attempted it anyways, allowing her freedom from his grip. She skipped off, hiking her dress train as she ran, in heels to the others.

"Geez Serenity," Tristan said as she nearly collided with him, giggling all the while. "What's up with you?"

"Joey," she laughed, just as he came huffing up, still holding the tray. Bakura plucked one off the tray and chewed it thoughtfully.

"Delicious," he said around a mouthful.

"So, has he got here yet?" Joey asked.

Yugi shook his head. "Nope, not yet."

Just then, the lights dimmed and a spotlight fell on the staircase on the starboard. "Dramatic much?" Duke remarked as he and Tea came up to the group. They had swept the cabins, looking for Joey's errant younger sister. "Where were you?" he asked Serenity.

"Just out," she shrugged. "I don't need a half dozen baby-sitters though," she whispered as the audience fell to an awed silence.

"Welcome to my yacht, the _Mycenae," _ A voice boomed. The collective heads of the audience turned to the staircase simultaneously to find a figure strolling down the staircase, one elegant, slender hand gracing the railway. The man was tall and slender, with a dark, possibly Mediterranean, complexion; however, it was impossible to tell his origins due to the golden mask that was affixed to his features. The mask was golden and thin, suggesting his thin features, with deep lines around his nose and mouth. The mask had two holes for his eyes, a pale green, and his mouth, graced by thin lips. The nose was strong and hooked. From where they were, Yugi couldn't tell what he truly looked like, but the man had an aura of aristocracy that was palpable even from this distance. The man's hair was straight, long, and a dark brown, almost black, set off by the gold ribbon that tied his hair back from his face. "What you are about to experience on this ship, nay, in this tournament, will be unlike anything you ever face, with the ultimate prize:

"My fortune and private island." The man paused to let the audience digest the information. Behind his mask, he gave a faint smile, too faint to be noticeable by anyone glancing. "As you may realize, I am Midas, the one running this tournament, the Tournament of Kings. After all, you are the best of the best, so it is only fitting that the contest is called as thus." Midas seemed to be peering right at Yugi as he said this and the young man felt an involuntary shudder down his spine. The man's eyes, those pale green eyes, seemed to pierce right through him, into his soul, sifting through every memory and feeling. It was like he was testing him.

"The tournament will take place on my private island over the course of the week, with the winner receiving the deed of the island and my fortune. Of course, rules must be established before I can let you run around willy- nilly.

"There is no access to my private quarters. Anybody who does will be disqualified." Yugi swore he heard a groan from his left and he stole a hurried glance, noticing a flash of a teal green and black with a purple streak.

_"Rex and Weevil?"_ he wondered before turning his attention back to Midas.

"There is also no dueling outside the tournament with the Duel Disk I have generously given you. The Duel Disk will inform me if you do and you will be disqualified if you do so. All the losers of each duel will have their Disk deactivated for the duration of the tournament. They are more then welcome to watch the other duelists play." He gave another smile, this one more prominent, reminding Yugi of a serpent.

"Lastly, the contest is arranged into four sections, with sixteen duelists each in each division. The winner of their respective division will face the other three winners. Losers of duels are automatically eliminated." Midas spread his arms out wide in a grand gesture.

"And so, I welcome you to the Tournament of Kings! Winner takes all! _And so much more. . ."_

**So, what do you think of Midas so far? He's also the most fun to write. He reminds me of Discord and Q. XD **


	11. Chapter 11: The Game Master

Chapter 11: The Game Master

The whole hall was abuzz with gossip and wonderment by the time Midas stepped down to mingle with the crowd. Even Yugi was struck dumb by his charisma. It was like everything he said dripped like honey from his lips.

". . .Man, do you have any idea what I could do with my own private island?. . ." Joey was babbling in Yugi's ear. ". . .Wait, Yuge, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," he added hurriedly.

"You know we don't believe you, right?" Tea quirked an eyebrow in skepticism.

"It's just, it's just there's something really eerie, and familiar, about him. Like I've dealt with him before."

"I think you're just being paranoid," Duke added.

"But you do have to admit, nobody ever willing gives away all their belongings, like this," Bakura countered. "Maybe's he sick or dying."

"Pegasus gave Yugi the majority share of Industrial Illusions," Tea said.

"Which I didn't want," Yugi mentioned.

"The point is, it has happened before," Tea finished. " So I wouldn't think anything of it."

"Does anybody else think that this is just plain weird?" Rebecca said as she came up.

"Rebecca!" Yugi said, genuinely surprised. "I didn't know that you were competing!"

"It _is_ the best duelists in the world, so of course I would be here," she snorted.

"Still doesn't explain how I managed to kick your butt," Joey teased.

Rebecca frowned. "But that doesn't explain why Rex and Weevil are here though."

"I thought it was them," Yugi mused.

"Well, that should make this easier to win," Joey joked. "Those two suck."

"Mako Tsunami and Leon Schroeder are here too," Duke added.

"It's like it's Battle City all over again," Tristan rolled his eyes.

"Except without the psychopathic maniacs trying to take over the world." Duke said, glancing over to Bakura. "No offense."

"None taken," Bakura added cheerfully.

"Ah, if it isn't the infamous Yugi Muto," Midas came up to them, taking the young man' hand and shaking it. Yugi caught a flash of light on his wrists and his curiosity was piqued. "I'm very honored to have you competing."

Yugi extracted his hand, taking a closer note of Midas's features. His eyes were even eerier closer up, a pale green all the way through. The man had classical features, thin but aristocratic. He saw faint ropy scars around Midas's jawline and neck though, and he wondered if that was why Midas wore the mask, to hide the scars. "It is an honor to meet you as well," he replied, unsure if he meant it.

"I hope you are enjoying your stay on my ship. Are your quarters to your liking?" Midas queried. Midas placed his hands at his sides and Yugi finally caught a glimpse of his cuff links. They too, were gold, with green stones embedded in them.

"Yes, yes they are."

"Hey! Would you mind tellin' us why you sent those creepy masks?" Joey demanded.

"Joey!" Tea nearly shouted.

Midas looked at him coolly. " And you must be Joey Wheeler. Your temper precedes you."

"Ain't funny!" he growled. "Now, tell us why!"

"Well, if you must insist. I sent them for purposes that I can't quite reveal at the moment. What was yours again? Ah, yes, I remember, the knight who always came in second, never quite rescuing the princess in time from the big scary dragon. The Winged Dragon of Ra, maybe?" Joey's fists clenched at his sides, ready to take a swing at the host, if it weren't for Duke and Tristan restraining him.

"Midas!" Yugi cried out. "This isn't funny!"

Midas stopped, pale green eyes focusing on Yugi. "My, haven't we got gumption. I thought it went away once your little "trinket" left you."

Yugi paused. His mind was reeling. _"How did he know about the Millennium Puzzle?"_

_ "I know many things, Yugi Muto," _he swore he heard him say in his mind.

"So, you must be Midas," someone said calmly, interrupting the confrontation.

"Ishizu?" Yugi said, shocked. Ishizu was wearing a silver dress that trailed to the floor regally, the air of an Egyptian queen or priestess. Her hair was down, out of its usual golden bands.

"You must be Marik's sister then," Midas remarked. "And where is your younger brother? The one I invited," he drawled snidely.

Ishizu flashed an inscrutable smile. "He was unable to make to the tournament, due to some, "difficulties"; however, he did wish to send his regards. I will be taking his place in the tournament."

"How kindly of you, but since you were not the one invited, you cannot compete." Midas seemed to be trying to one up her. "Tournament rules."

Ishizu took a step back. "If you insist." She started to walk away, but then stopped and half way turned. Something flashed in her hand as she gave the object a flick of the wrist, sending it skittering across the floor only to end up at Midas's feet.

It was a mask, the one that was sent to Marik. Midas bent to pick it up, thumbing the smooth metal.

"Just remember that you'll now have sixty-three duelists," she remarked before walking away.

Midas snarled. "Fine!" he barked. "You may take his place," he agreed reluctantly.

Ishizu smirked. "I figured you would see it my way."

Mokuba, who had been quiet the time, whistled. "No wonder she nearly gave Seto a run for his money."

"No kidding," Joey added. "When people talk about cool as a cucumber, they must have been talkin' about Ishizu."

"Joey, that's the dumbest thing I heard you say this evening," Rebecca snorted.

Midas stalked away, without even acknowledging the others.

Tea finally spoke up. "How did he know about the Millennium Puzzle."

"I don't know, but I'm willing to find out." Yugi answered, eying Midas's retreating form. He knew so much about them, but how.

But the better question was why?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He scowled at the computer, the lines around his face even more prominent as he stared at the artificially lit screen. His long, white trench coat was tossed carelessly aside onto a chair in the suite. Starlight tried to stream in, reflecting off the waters, but he had the blinds closed, not caring to hear the chaos and debauchery in progress on the decks. He had one too many distractions already, the mask and Duel Disk being two of them. He had decided to not attend the party and the meet and greet with the other duelists. He already knew who was there, more specifically, the only one he wanted to compete against.

Yugi.

"Seto," Mokuba called from the hallway. The teen looked unkempt, like he just ran a mile in his tuxedo. "Seto, why didn't you come to the party?"

_"Or spent the night partying,"_ Seto added. "I had work to do."

" Uh-huh. You know, Ishizu is in the tournament. She gave a run for his money."

"Ishizu? She never made it past the first round of the semi-finals, nor has she dueled since. Why is she here?"

"Marik was invited, but he was unable to join, so she took his place."

"Interesting." Other than Yugi, Ishizu was the only other person he knew to almost defeat him at Battle City. It was only by some delusion that kept her from winning. Whether he was grateful for the hallucination, he still wasn't sure, even after nearly seven years. She was also the only one who could get under his skin so easily.

Mokuba flopped down one of the cabin beds, exhausted. The bed was blissful, almost heavenly, with its Egyptian cotton sheets and futon like qualities.

"Figuring out who this "Midas" is, but so far, there is no record of him anywhere. No family, no business, no history; I can't even find his real name." Seto pushed back from the computer. "It's like he never existed."

"So then, who is he?" Mokuba said.

"He's someone alright, it's only a matter of time before I find him." He faced Mokuba. "What were you doing to look like that?" he asked, looking at his untidy appearance.

"Um, I was out?"

"Right."

"Well, at least I actually have a social life."

Seto went back to the computer, ignoring the stab. "Then I have to figure out how Midas got a hold of sixty-four of my template Duel Disks. I need to get into my records at the Corp site and look those over."

"Yeah, about that. . ." Mokuba trailed off.

"What about it?"

"You aren't allowed to access KaibCorp records. Well, not for two weeks anyways."

Seto whirled around in his chair. "What do you mean, "can't access it"?"

"Well, you had enough time accumulated to take off three months of paid vacation, so I told Roland that with this tournament, you're taking off two weeks for vacation. Then I sort of well, told him not to let you have access to the KaibaCorp database." Mokuba added quietly.

"And you would do that, why?"

"Because, you're always working or at business school and I never get to see you so I thought that the vacation would be good for you, so we can actually hang out like we used to do!" Mokuba snapped.

Kaiba was taken aback at the remark. He thought he spent plenty of time with his younger brother, but apparently, it wasn't enough for him; however he did have a point, as begrudgingly as he would admit. He could use a _little_ break.

And he definitely meant _little._

And after he figured out how Midas got so many of his Duel Disks.

He gave in. "Fine, I'll take a break. Now, can I access my inventory records for the template Disks?"

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Pinkie promise?" Mokuba extended his pinkie.

"Yes." Kaiba reluctantly shook pinkies with him. "Now, how do I get to the site?"

"Easy." Mokuba reached over his brother and used his own personal code to access the records. Seto knew Mokuba's code, of course, considering that he was the one to give it to him, but he would never stoop so low to use his instead of his own.

Using a series of passwords, Kaiba bypassed the firewalls established to deter any potential hackers, ending up at the inventory site. Mokuba peeked over his brother's shoulder to watch. "Now, according to company policy, no one purchaser may buy more than four Template Duel Disks at a time," Seto explained to no one. " And no more than once in total."

"To keep any would be gaming company from stealing the blue prints, right?"

"Correct. The Template Duel Disks are new, my own invention, to allow companies to customize the Duel Disk to their own specifications, for promotions and contests and the like."

"Was that how that Dartz guy had those freaky Duel Disks?"

"Yes unfortunately, though I didn't know at the time he had purchased the Disks. He must have used a shell company to his his identity.

"But how Midas managed to swipe sixty-four, I don't know."

"And yet, he was kind enough to send you one right back." Mokuba reached for the bed and hefted up Seto's new Disk, a pearly white with blue accents, all in the shape of a dragon's wing. _"How ironic," _he thought. "Was the Duel Disk modified in any way? Midas did mention how he was disable the Disks of the losers."

That gave Kaiba pause. Nobody should be able to do such a thing with the Disks, which meant that Midas somehow modified it and Seto passed over it when he was examining the device. "I found nothing out of the ordinary when I examined. But I wouldn't take Midas's words to heart though. Nobody can do such a thing."

"What if it was on the outside?"

"Then I would have noticed a transmitter on it. I managed to match the identification number embedded in the inside of the Disk to an order." Kaiba stopped, then started highlighting things on the screen. "Mokuba, come here. Do you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

Mokuba dropped the Disk back on the bed and went back over, staring at the screen. "Just different companies ordering the Template Disks."

"Yes, but do you notice the dates and times?"

Mokuba stared harder. "Wait, there's a purchase once every month on the same day at the same time. That's kind of weird, but it's a different company every time."

"I don't think that the times and dates are a coincidence. He must have multiple shell companies and through those shell companies, buying the Disks. I bet he's using a "bot" to buy the Disks, using a different company each time."

"How did we not catch this?"

"We were looking at companies, not dates and times. I'll need to implement a program that sends up a red flag to prevent something like this in the future."

"So now what?"

"I track down the shell companies. More than likely, they're all based in the Cayman Islands, run by the same CEO, conveniently."

"And how are you going to find them?"

"I have my ways."

"Not legal, of course."

"No, not legally."

Mokuba pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. "This should be fun."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He entered his room, his party almost over. The last few duelists were trickling to their cabins, in varying degrees of intoxication, more than likely, he determined. He shut the door behind him, locking it with a sturdy and ancient looking bronze key. Modern key holes were much too easy to break into nowadays, he learned over time. He went to a series of candles placed in various parts of his room, lighting each of them with a match. The ruddy flames burned readily, casting an orange glow over the entire room, his mask looking like it was made of molten gold, alight with the fires. He finally ended up in a corner of the room, where a small table sat next to a Japanese _go, _the ivory and ebony pieces in their respective wooden bowls.

He knelt down next to the _go_ table, known as _goban_ and thumbed the pieces, unsure if he felt like playing tonight. _Go _was a difficult game, with the goal of capturing the most territory with your stones, while at the same time fending off the opponents stones. The easiest game to compare _go _to was chess, though chess was much too easy. Midas used to play chess, but after living for over three thousand years, chess had become much too easy for him. _Go_ was far more difficult, and therefore, much more fun, for where was the fun in an easy challenge?

He reached up an slowly pulled the mask off and placed it next to the wooden bowls. The mask reflected the flames of the candles in the room, giving the illusion of hot or molten slag, formed into the cruel mockery of what used to be a handsome face, but he had long since gotten used to the irony, how something so artificial could be so beautiful, while the living is hideous.

Midas had been living with it for just over three thousand years now.

He didn't even know his true name any more. As time passed, especially for one as long living as he, names never seemed to matter as much. They got fleeting, old, stale, and thus, a new one was born. His most recent, Midas, was the one he seemed to enjoy the most, reflecting his status; everything he seemed to touch turned into gold, including his face.

A wind blew through an open window, fluttering the burgundy curtains on his window. whipping through with an unseen fury. A shudder went through his very core, the presence of something occult, invisible, but he was used to it by now. The ghosts of his past always seemed to linger like errant threads on his person. But this time, this time was different, and he knew why. The shadows, the shadows, they called to him, like sirens chanting their honeyed hymns of death. These shadows danced with the fires of green on their edges. He glanced back behind him, to the center of his cabin, though he could no longer call it a cabin, but a chamber, brimming with secrets. Inlaid in the floor was a large metal circle, made of three thinner layers of precious metals: gold, silver, and a coppery color that seemed variegated with bronze and tarnished gold. It was calling to him, a million bells clanging in his head, a million monsters all demanding his utmost attention. A part of him didn't want to and he edged away, until he was backed up against his window.

The wind, which now seemed more like a tempest, screamed and howled and his scarred visage turned away from the circle set in the cabin floor, eyes screwed shut. The fires from the candles grew to miniature infernos as the shadows screamed his name, trying to pull him into the circle. Eventually, gradually, the temptation died away, though the wind still blew, clawing and ripping at his clothes. Midas dropped to the floor and to his knees, exhausted, but he knew that this was the only way, the only way he could break the shackles of immortality. It was the Faustian deal he was willing to make.

The _go_ piece he was clenching tightly through the ordeal slipped through his fingers and onto the floor, the desire to play tonight leeched from him, along with his energy. Many of the candles sitting around the room sputtered out and died, enshrouding the room with shadows.

The darkness had a way of doing that.


	12. Chapter 12: Sahara

Chapter 12: Sahara

The sun beat down like a hammer on the forge as the three intrepid wanderers journeyed through the sands. Odion was in the lead, cutting a path for Marik and Sivya who were behind. Sivya had since sold her goats to the next tribe they came across, in exchange for food and fresh camels for their journey. If anything, these camels were even more uncooperative than the last bunch, according to Marik. Sivya teased that he just wasn't a very good camel rider. Odion his a smile behind his headcloth as the memory came bubbling back.

One of the village elders had warned him of portents of a sandstorm roaring in in the afternoon, but so far, there was no indicators of a impeding sandstorm. The camels though, seemed antsy and more stubborn than usual, so maybe there was something behind the warnings. He told himself to watch for the telltale signs. His eyes scanned the horizon, and yet he saw nothing. Before they left their ancestral home, Ishizu arranged for them to meet up with a friend of hers from Israel, to grant safe passage through the country. However, due to the proliferation of refugee camps along the narrow border between the countries of Israel and Egypt, Odion decided to swing around and avoid the camps.

"The Nile, is it as beautiful as they say it is? I only went there once, and as an infant," Sivya was saying.

"It is. On a clear day, it looks like someone had sliced a piece of the sky and stuck in the middle of the desert. Date and palm tress grow along the river banks and the farms look like a patchwork of colors." Marik was saying.

"I wish I could remember my trip to the Nile. I was only a baby at the time. My father and mother took me there to be baptized."

"Baptized? Your parents were Christian?"

"Yes, he was. He was a Coptic Christian, you know. My mother was Muslim and when they married, my grandfather was very upset. So they fled to the desert, to make their own way."

"I bet your grandfather was."

"Marik!" Odion's voice called out. The wind was starting to pick up and the camels were beginning to become even more restless. "Something's coming!" Marik immediately silenced and placed his camel in front of Sivya, protecting her.

"I can take care of myself," Sivay harrumphed, brandishing her walking staff, knowing full well of Marik's intentions.

Sure enough, a plume of dust was racing closer and closer to them. Odion started to turn the camel around, head over one shoulder, eying the impeding plume. Fears of an incoming sandstorm were quickly abated as the plume grew smaller is it came closer. Odion squinted his eyes. It looked almost like...

...A vehicle?

It was in fact a vehicle bearing down on them. Odion reached for his pack, for something to shield them from the possible threat. The vehicle slowed as it got closer and Odion could feel his heart flutter against his chest, realizing that he had nothing save his own flesh to protect his younger brother.

The vehicle, actually a forest green jeep, pulled up sideways against them and came to a stop. One of the camels panicked and bucked, nearly throwing their supplies onto the desert floor. The jeep looked well worn, its forest green coat now a dusty dun color with the desert sand. One of its doors, the driver's side, was missing.

The driver was a man well into his thirties, wearing a tan polo shirt and khaki cargo shorts, bulging from unknown objects. A bowie knife, nearly seven inches long, was strapped to his left side, while the silhouette of a side arm was on his right side, hidden under his polo shirt. Black boots laced up to his knees. He turned to face them, showing a craggy, but handsome face worn by years of hardships and trials. His hair was black, with grey temples, cropped short save for some hair tickling the nape of his neck while his eyes were a shade of hazel. "Odion Ishtar?" he inquired, revealing an Israeli accent.

"This is he," Odion growled, stepping off the camel to stride across the desert, ready to grapple him if necessary.

"My name is Aaron Levi, I was asked by your sister Ishizu to escort you and Marik through Israel and beyond." He stared at Odion hard. "You don't look like her very much."

"I was adopted," Odion explained. "It's a long story. _Beyond? I wonder what he meant by that."_ he thought.

"Ah, very well then. If you would be so kind, I do not have very long." Aaron gestured towards the back of the vehicle."

Marik brought his camel up to the jeep. "How can we trust you?" he asked, skeptical.

"I helped your sister while the was tracking the Egyptian God cards and you," Aaron replied. "I helped her find Obelisk the Tormentor."

That got his attention and suddenly something clicked. A man brandishing a gun while escorting his sister from things unseen, summoned by the Shadow Realm. Something white and blue was strapped to his left arm, glowing with an unnatural light. He flushed in shame. "I remember you now," Marik said.

"Well, that's good, because you'll definitely need some help crossing into the border. They're very strict you know. Luckily I know some contacts."Aaron's eyes landed on Sivya and she turned away. "but I don't know if I can get her in though. I'll have to really pull some strings."

"That's nice of you and all," Marik interjected before Sivya could reply. "But why are you doing this?"

"Because, I well, owe your sister a little "favor" shall we say." Aaron gestured over his shoulder to the back seats. "Now come on, get in. There's rumors of a sandstorm looming."

Marik slid off the camel and nearly fell into a heap in the dirt. His legs were sore from riding the beast all day, with the hump of the camel's back digging into his tail bone. Odion helped him up. Sivya joined Marik, leaping off the camel like it was nothing, landing gracefully, still clinging to her shepherd's staff. Marik gawked at her feat. "How does she do that?" he asked.

She flushed at the compliment. "It's not much really. It just takes practice. I'm sure you'll get it soon."

"Thankfully where we'll be heading," Aaron said, helping Odion with their bags. "We won't need the camels."

"Then where will they go?" Sivya asked.

"There's a tribe a few miles that way. We can give the beasts to them. They'll be grateful for the gift."

"I can help escort the camels then. They'll need to be herded over there."

"That would be very helpful, thank you."

Odion frowned. "I wasn't intending to go through the refugee camps."

"Unfortunately, that's how we got to get over the border. I have visas and a boat waiting for you at the shore." Aaron looked over at Sivya again, who was talking soothingly to her camel, calming it. "I'll have to make a few calls to get her a visa though."

Odion crossed his arms. He wasn't satisfied with Aaron's method, but it was the only way to get into Israel and make up for lost time due to traversing across the desert. "Very well then. We'll go." Odion went around the vehicle to seat himself in the passenger side. Sivya and Marik would have to ride in the back. They set off, just as the sun crossed its zenith in the clear blue sky. Aaron drove the jeep at a slower clip then he would have liked, because of Sivya and the camels, but eventually, they made it to the tribe—though it was more a a family unit than a tribe—that Aaron had mentioned and they graciously handed the camels over to the troop, who was immensely grateful for the gesture. They had insisted that they stay with them at least overnight, until the sandstorm passed over, but Odion refused, even though Aaron liked the idea. Marik had the impression that Odion didn't approve of Aaron.

As they were driving, the landscape in a blur, Marik noticed something glinting under a tarp in the front part of the jeep. A bump pushed the tarp away, exposing a KaibaCorp Duel Disk. _That _was on his arm in the flashback. But then something else came to him as well.

"Wait a second," Marik began. "Aren't you the Israeli National Champion?"

In the rear view mirror, Aaron winked. "Yes I am. Originally bought the Duel Disk for my nephew in Tel Aviv and ended up using it more than he did. Eventually became the National Champion in the process."

"But, I thought you were known as Benjamin Navin on the circuit."

"The name is a fake, to protect me from any would be killers. A retired Mossad agent is a ripe target for any would be extremists."

_"That would explain the gun and his demeanor,"_ Marik thought. _"And the visas and safe passage._ So you're really former Mossad?"

"Retired," Aaron corrected. "I was shot on the line of duty and was forced to retire from the service." He held up his right arm, showing a knotted patchwork of scars. "Terrorists sprayed my right arm with rounds. Damaged the nerves in my shooting hand; my hand was too shaky to aim my sidearm right, so I retired." He flashed a grim smile. "But I damaged more than just an arm on him." Marik shuddered at the thought, a mental picture of Aaron shooting someone springing up in his head. Sivya and Odion remained quiet, Odion contemplative and Sivya unaware of the game of Duel Monsters altogether.

Her golden honey eyes seemed intent on the horizon, as if sensing something. Just then a deep rumble was heard and on the western horizon something dark and wide, almost as wide as the horizon itself thundered towards them. The wind picked up, clawing at their clothes. Sivya shouted.

"Sandstorm!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The small port town was bustling at that time of night, the dim lights of the harbor in the lights of the bar. She strode in, her curly black tumbling down her shoulders, clearly an exotic feature in Israel. She was supposed to meet someone that evening, someone she disliked strongly, but it was her boss's orders. She ignored the leering eyes and the wolf whistles from the patrons of the bar and made her way towards the back of the back of the bar, in a secluded table away from the "usual" customers. She began to wonder whether her black dress and red heels were ideal to these settings, but it was all a part her plan. Her business was secretive and she wanted to keep as few prying eyes from her meeting as possible. She thumbed the green stone danging from a red lace choker, thinking.

Besides, she only had enough poison to kill one person, not an entire bar.

"So, you finally arrived," the person at the table growled, his hands fiddling with a half empty bottle of beer. Like her, he too had foreign features, Russian, to be exact, and thus, had less qualms about alcohol than some of the other locals here. A couple empty shot glasses, reeking of vodka, sat next to his bottle. He clearly had been waiting a while for her. "'Bout time too, I was goin' mad being surrounded by these yodels. Idiots, the whole lot of them."

"Cool it Dimitri," she warned, the box in her purse feeling obscenely heavy. "I'm here to do business, remember?"

"We work for the same man, _Tabitha,_" he sneered. "Your business is mine. Now, the box, if you would please." Dimitri gestured towards her purse resting on the table, where the bulging outlines of the contents could be seen.

Tabitha growled quietly to herself and pulled out the box, placing it on the table. Dimitri crowed in drunken delight and reached for it as a child would grab for candy. He yanked it close to him, cooing at the marvelous detail of the ancient box.

"Is this the one?" he asked, his fingers resting lightly on the lid of the gilded container.

"The very same, the one our boss wanted."

"It is quite beautiful." Dimitri lifted the lid and picked up one of the green stones, holding it to the watery yellow lights of the bar. "And to think, this tiny little rock causes so much destruction." As he mentioned this, Tabitha saw the flash of green on his right hand and Tabitha saw the stone mounted on a thick silver ring. Dimitri was reluctant to place it back in the box though, the lure of power too much for his tiny mind, Tabitha thought distastefully. Some men just shouldn't have that kind of power; they were either too stupid or too righteous with said power, like someone she knew from so long ago.

_"So Dimitri got a little "promotion", I see," _she thought_. _Dimitri finally set the stone down, next to his beer bottle, within easy reach, Tabitha noted. Already the stone was affecting his judgment. "Now, about our deal. . ."

"Yes, yes don't remind me. You get to deliver it for the rest of the journey-"

"To keep your little "ex" off our trail." Dimitri reminded her. Oh how he liked to taunt her about that; he knew it irked her as well, hence the reminder.

"Let's not talk about him, shall we?" Tabitha cooed, leaning in seductively. "We should talk about us, Dimitri."

The man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he gawked at her. The alcohol was taking affect, very noticeably, she saw. "Yes, we should, shouldn't we?" he said huskily.

Suddenly, Tabitha stood up, reaching for her purse. "I'm going to get a drink? Would you like for me to get you another beer?"

Dimitri looked at his beer bottle like it was the very first time he noticed it. He sloshed it around. "If you could, woman."

"See you soon," Tabitha waved coyly and went back to the main part of the bar, ordering herself water, poured in a martini glass with an olive, and a beer bottle for Dimitri. The bartender had raised eyebrows at her with her own order, but nevertheless complied, especially after she handed over a hefty tip. Both drinks in hand, she made her way back to her table, casually flipping the lip on her poison ring and allowing a white powder to pour into the open lid of Dimitri's drink. It was too easy.

She slid back into the table, passing the bottle to Dimitri, who sucked greedily from the bottle like he hadn't drank in many days, though after seeing his table, it was clear that he had one too many.

"Now," Tabitha began, steepling her fingers. "What do I get in payment for out little "arrangement"?"

Dimitri belched in reply and whipped his chin. "You get the money wired into your account, like we agreed."

"While you get all the credit for the theft." Tabitha frowned. "I'm not agreeing to that."

"Well, too bad, that's what you get," Dimitri began to reach into the inside coat of his heavy bomber jacket, presumably to pull out a gun on her, something she didn't like. "We work together, remember?" he leered, hands reaching around the grip of his weapon, a hand gun, probably a which he had mounted a silencer on specifically for this. He didn't like her, nor how she worked and this would be an easy way to deal with her once and for all. Nobody would hear the gun over the din of the bar occupants.

Suddenly, his fingers loosened around his gun to clutch at his chest. His heart was beating erratically, with a squeezing pain to go with it. Now, it was Tabitha's turn to smirk. "you were always such a glutton. There's a reason why it's a deadly sin."

"You...dirty...little witch!" Dimitri wheezed. His vision was beginning to darken in the corners and he felt so dizzy, his entire world spinning. His hand spasmed, knocking over the drink she gave him and sending the stone spinning across the table. Tabitha plucked it off the table, clenching it between her thumb and forefinger.

"I'm sure you know exactly what I did. You should know better then to trust me with getting you a drink." Tabitha picked up the box, dropping the stone inside. She stashed the box back inside her purse and shouldered it, watching Dimitri thrash and froth at the mouth as she did so. She watched him with cold eyes as his own went glassy and he flopped down on the table, slack jawed and dead. "But it you want to know, its the kind of poison that mimics an overdose. The best part is that it decomposes in your system as alcohol as you sit there. It's my very own concoction you know, but you probably don't care about that now. You're dead."

She started to walk away, but not before she turned back to the fresh corpse. "Nice dealing with you. But by the way-

-I work alone. Ta ta." She sauntered off, exiting the bar, acting like nothing happened.

It wouldn't be until almost three o'clock in the morning that someone would discover the corpse of Dimitri Malkovich. The local medical examiner would determine it was an accidental overdose, brought on by his consumption of alcohol, judging by the extremely high levels of blood alcohol in his system. It was determined through fingerprints that Dimitri Malkovich was a former smuggler, known for smuggling high grade opium from Afghanistan and weapons to Hamas who had then dropped off the radar for nearly five years, only to turn up dead at a seedy Israeli bar. The corpse was then cremated, since no one claimed it and the ashes dumped, obliterating any and all evidence of the crime they had missed, but even if they did, they would have been reluctant to prosecute it anyways.

There truly was no honor among thieves.

** Yeah, so that chapter took a bit of research, but hey, fun research is good research. And after looking this chapter over, I realize that I probably watch too many crime shows, more notably NCIS.**

** But only a tiny bit, I swear :). **

** For those who are curious, Aaron Levi is _sort of_ inspired by Ziva David from NCIS, but every time I write him, I imagine George Clooney. He is a duelist, with a Dragon themed deck. Tabitha has a plant/beast warrior themed and Midas has a Angel themed deck, with a few other monsters scattered throughout.**


	13. Chapter 13: The Perfect Storm

Chapter 13: The Perfect Storm

The storm bore down on them like a raging beast, set to devour all that stood in its path. Aaron brought the car to a stop, knowing that he could never outrace it. "Out of the car! Now!" He bellowed over the winds. He undid his seat belt and jumped across the hood of his car to land on the other side. "Everybody, get on this side! Do it!" The sandstorm was raging closer and closer, a true monster of the desert, the living personification of Sekhmet's breath. They all jumped out of the car, their belongings in hand, Odion snatching up the tarp in the vehicle to shield them. Flinging it Odion managed to cover the five with the tarp in one fell swoop. Ther used their bags to weigh down the tarp along the edges, to lessen the chances of it blowing away. Sivya, pale with fright, wedged herself between Marik and Odion, though she was much closer to the former than the latter.

"I always hated sandstorms," Sivya whispered under the tarp. All five of them had a grip on it, lest it blow away with the winds and exposing them to the elements.

"Me too," Marik replied, hoping to calm her. He reached out with one hand and gave hers a quick squeeze. "It'll be okay though, I promise."

Sivya glanced upwards. "I hope so."

Aaron glimpsed over at Odion and gave a curt nod. "Good thinking."

Odion merely grunted and clenched the edged of the tarp tighter.

Then, the sandstorm hit.

It struck them with the fury of a thousand hammers striking a single anvil. The storm threatened to rip away the tarp from their hands. Sand and wind beat against it, creating a cacophony of chaos outside their improvised shelter. Even with their protection though, sand still managed to sneak in, getting into their eyes, mouths and nostrils, irritating everything it touched. Sivya whimpered and leaned closer to Marik. She had only encountered sandstorms a handful of times, most of them while inside her cave. The other time happened while she was attending her goats. She only had seconds to dive down behind a rock and cover her face with her headcloth before it struck. She still had scars from where the sand had rubbed her skin red and raw.

The storm seemed to last an eternity, screaming and wailing until it drowned out even the simplest thought. Aaron was whispering something under his breath, but none could tell what, for the desert's fury drowned him out. Sivya looked to be mouthing the Lord's Prayer as she screwed her eyes tight, praying for it to end.

Then, as soon as it came, it passed over over, leaving them in an unearthly silence. Sivya started to peek outside, but was stopped by Marik, who placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down inside the tarp. They waited a few minutes, sitting underneath the oppressively hot tarp, until Aaron spoke: "I'll go check." He slowly peeked outside, only to find that not only had the storm passed over, but it had dissipated completely, with only a few, small dust tornadoes to show as evidence that a storm even plowed through.

"It's okay now. You can come out now." In response, Marik flung the tarp, glad to be free of the polyester cocoon, only to confront the blistering heat of the sun.

Sivya slowly stood up, her legs cramping from sitting for so long. She stumbled though, landing on Marik, who caught her. He flushed. "Sorry about that," she mumbled.

"No-no worries," Marik replied. His eyes caught their jeep and groaned as he saw the sand layered liberally on all surfaces of the forest green vehicle. "Aw man!"

"No kidding," Aaron said. "I'll bet that I'll still find sand weeks after this!" The comment, as unfunny as it was, broke the tension that had surrounded them like a heavy cloud. They burst into laughter, all of them feeling oddly liberated from the experience.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They managed to make it to the shore where Aaron Levi's contact said he would meet them. The stars were out in full view, providing minimal light for them. Their boat was in fact a motorboat, with a cabin and what looked like the ones smugglers would use. Marik got an unsettling feeling about Aaron's contact, but he trusted that the man wouldn't steer them wrong, he hoped.

He whispered to Aaron, "Is he a smuggler or something?" Ever since Battle City, he had been wary of dealing with the "shadier" side of people, for fear of somehow getting caught up in their business and then paying for it due to his own shady past. He had once suspected Ishizu of pulling some strings and essentially bailing him out of the law's grasp, but he never did ask; he didn't want to imply anything of his loyal sibling.

"A long time ago. He was caught smuggling in supplies during out blockade a while ago and in exchange for immunity, he lead us to a Hamas sect."

"Do he know you're retired now?"

Half a smirk danced across Aaron's features. "Maybe, maybe not."

"I'm going with the maybe not."

Aaron's contact was a lanky, grizzled man with salt-and-pepper hair with a posture indicating that he once served in some form of military force; however, he clearly walked with a limp, indicated by the hardwood cane he leaned into it while coming across to greet them. "Ah, so are these the people I'm supposed to smuggle in," he said, eying the three up and down. His accent indicated that he was from Turkey. His eyes fell to Odion and Marik and he nodded. "I have passports for you two," he turned to Sivya, "But not you; however, for a price I can get you one rather,. . .quickly," he leered, hand outstretched. Marik growl involuntarily in the back of his throat, then paused, wondering what could bring on such a reaction like that.

Quick as a snake, Sivya's staff whipped out, rapping the smuggler hard across the back of his hand. He yelped and jerked his hand back, nursing it. Aaron inhaled sharply at her reaction, fearing that their deal now may be rescinded. The smuggler was quiet, then burst out in laughter. "You have gall, girlie!" he laughed. "I'll give you that! Very well, I'll see if I can rustle you up a passport."

Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you Hakan. Your assistance is very much appreciated."

"Don't give me your honeyed words, Aaron," Hakan snorted. "Just get in the blasted boat."

Aaron chuckled as he lead his wards onto the motorboat. Hakan merely rolled his eyes and limped onto the boat behind them, fumbling for the keys in his trench coat pocket. The boat left the secretive cove in a matter of minutes.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Sivya had never been on a boat before and the rolling motions made her feel ill to his stomach. Hakan, the smuggler, had offered her some Dramamine and it helped a little, but the medicine had since worn off and she didn't want to bug Hakan, whom was too busy steering the boat at the moment. She breathed a little prayer under her breath as she staggered onto the deck, praying that she could get to the side before getting ill all over it. Earlier, both Marik and Aaron had asked to be excused earlier, after Aaron helped Hakan fashion their fake visas. They were very realistic, Marik had said, and she was inclined to believe him. After this, she and Odion decided to follow suit, although now she didn't see the older man in his bunk.

She leaned over the side, waiting for the nauseating feeling to pass, and tried to focus on the horizon, something that either Marik or Odion had mentioned.

"Can't sleep?" She slowly craned her head to find Odion hovering over her, his face in stark shadows and harsh highlights, from the ship's light.

Sivya whimpered in response and then sunk down, leaning against the sides of the deck's wall, hugging her knees. "I feel ill."

"Here." Odion knelt next to her, handing her a Dramamine patch. "This could help."

"Thank you." Grateful, she placed the patch just behind her ear, as the instructions warranted. "Can you sleep?"

"I don't think I can." Odion replied, seating himself. "Tell me," he began. "Why are you traveling with us?"

Sivya was taken aback by the remark. As she scanned his features to find a trace of ill-will, but found none, so this must have been asked out of curiosity rather than malice. "I, I had to escape. There was nothing left. No parents, no siblings, only some goats that would always get in trouble. I didn't have a fiance or someone to miss me when I was gone."

"You wanted to escape," Odion stated.

Sivya nodded and Odion continued. "But you could have left earlier, without our arrival inspiring you. Was it something else then?"

"I don't understand."

"I think you like him."

"Like who?"

Odion chuckled; the girl, old as she was, was very naive, but it was a bad thing. "Marik."

Sivya blushed. "He is very nice, and he is funny too, but I don't know if I like him that way." Poor Sivya. It was puppy love, Odion decided. He only nodded as Sivya continued. "But surely he must have someone at home waiting for him."

"Like a wife?"

"Yes," Sivya admitted, albeit slowly.

"No, Marik is not married, nor is he engaged." It looked as if Sivya breathed a sigh of relief, but he decided to not remark on it.

"Oh." Sivya was quiet, relieved that the patch was starting to work. It made her a little drowsy, but that in itself was a blessing, for it would let her sleep through the night. "Can, can I ask something?"

"What is it?"

"What are those markings on your face?"

Odion gave a faint smile. He could tell that she had been wanting to ask for a while, since they had crossed paths. "They are Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics of an ancient spell of protection. I had them placed on my face when I was younger, in the hopes to protect Marik."

"Did it hurt?"

"Very, but it was worth it."

"Oh." Sivya, realizing how tired, attempted to stand upright, only to stumble when the boat shifted suddenly. "The medicine must be making this way," she explained .

"The Dramamine patches will do that. Good night Sivya." Odion helped the young woman gain her balance and watched her as she walked back to the cabin, tripping only slightly. Clearly she was not used to the antihistamine effects of the medication.

She stumbled in the dark trying to find her bed. The patches were working very quickly and efficiently; she wondered if she would just simply collapse in the middle of the cabin. As she managed to make her way to the bed, she heard something. She craned to listen. They were faint cries, whimpers, like someone crying out in the throes of a nightmare. She scanned the surroundings, more curious than concerned, and found their source. She saw Marik thrashing about in his bunk, his hands twisting in claw like shapes as he clutched for something, anything. She went to his side. "Marik," she whispered, hoping to break him from the nightmare. When nothing happened, she whispered his name louder and shook his shoulder. His eyes shot wide open and he clutched at his blankets. "Odion?" he asked quietly, like a child.

"No, it's me. Sivya," she replied softly. "You were having a nightmare. Are you okay?"

"I, I don't know," he said softly.

"It's done now," she soothed. "You're okay."

He looked at her and she noticed the dark circles under his eyes, something that had been previously hidden by his _kohl_. "Am I?" he asked.

She wasn't sure what he meant by the comment, but she went with it anyways. "Yes, you are."

"Stay with me," Marik blurted, reminding Sivya of when she was a child, asking her mother to stay with her when she had bad dreams. "Please." His hands reached out to cling to her arms. "Please," he pleaded again.

"I will stay," she said, ignoring the tired feeling that was gnawing at her. The rest she so desperately wanted would have to wait. She did tell herself, after all, that she would do most anything for them, in hopes of earning their trust. Perhaps Marik didn't realize that he wasn't talking to Odion, she thought. Marik clutched at her hands.

"Until I fall asleep?" he asked.

"Until you fall asleep." She answered.

"And beyond?"

"And beyond."

He closed his eyes, his hands still clinging to her own. His hands were soft, with minimal calluses on the forefinger and thumb. Hers, on the other hand, were rough and callused, due to her constant work. His were almost like a baby's, she thought, before nodding off, placing her head on the edge of the bed.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Odion didn't enter the cabin until later that night, after making arrangements with Hakan. They would arrive at Tel Aviv about noon the next day, with their passports in hands. He entered the cabin quietly, trying hard not to wake Marik. He stumbled over something and he uttered an ancient curse under his breath, his toe throbbing. However, it wasn't until after he looked down that he realized what he had tripped over. Sivya was kneeling next to Marik's bed, asleep, while Marik clung to her hands, his face relaxed, the most relaxed he had seen him in days. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. Perhaps Sivya was what they needed after all.

He couldn't wipe the smile off the face when he crawled under the covers of his cramped bunk, and it wasn't until after he fell asleep did his face relax.

** Phew, that chapter was a doozie. It wasn't that it was too long—actually I think it's a bit short, but I can't think of anything to add to it—but it was at about a third of the way through, right when they first meet the smuggler, when I got stuck.**

** And it was serious stuck-age(which probably isn't a real word, but who's looking) too. Then, thankfully, I got unstuck and thus, this chapter.**

** Fun Research is fun lol**

** Please review?**


	14. Chapter 14: Beginnings

Chapter 14: Beginnings

**Warning: There is a reference to alcohol in this chapter, but nothing explicit. I just thought I would let you know.**

She crept out of her cabin that morning and out into the hallway of the luxury yacht. The snores of her brother were audible, even though he was down the hall with the door and she giggled. _"Maybe if Joey hadn't spent most of the night playing poker with potato chips with the boys, then maybe he wouldn't be this loud," _ Serenity determined, stifling another chuckle. She had a fitful rest, only to jar awake at six thirty in the morning and no way of falling back asleep. So, she decided that she would go and watch the sun rise in the east and maybe after that, wake her brother up to get ready.

She managed to end up at the deck, dressed in her pajamas, a black t-shirt that was two sizes too big with her pajama bottoms decorated with Scapegoats, and wearing socks on her feet. She thought for a second how silly she looked, but the chances of another person being awake at this hour was highly unlikely. Serenity leaned against the elaborate railings of the bow and inhaled deeply, taking in the salty essence of the Mediterranean with it. The sky was beginning to lighten in the east, turning a pale pink.

"Red at night, sailor's delight-" she began.

"Red skies in mornin', sailor's warnin'," an Australian tinged voice ended. Serenity turned to find Valon behind her, a grin plastered on his face. "Funny 'ow I keep runnin' into you," he chuckled, eliciting a blush from Serenity.

"Heh, yeah," she mumbled, feeling embarrassed that Valon should catch her in her sleep wear.

"Nice pj's, by the way," he joked.

"Thanks," she mumbled. He sauntered up next to her, leaning against the railing.

"Like sunrises?" he asked.

"Usually, I'm not awake to see them," she replied. "But I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to come up here and watch the sunrise. You?"

"Force of 'abit," he explained. "W'ich do you like better? Sunrises or sunsets?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Jus' curious."

She mulled it over for a moment. "I think I like sunrises better."

"Why's that?"

"Because to me, I see them as a new beginning, a new start to something new. It doesn't matter what happened yesterday, but it is today that matters the most now." Serenity flushed at the curious expression he was giving her. "I'm sorry, I must have sounded so silly and cheesy."

"No, no, I liked it." Valon replied, still giving her that curious expression. "I never t'ought of it that way before. I like it."

"Thanks." Serenity decided to watch the sunrise with him, leaning against the railing next to him. After a while, she could tell that he was watching her from the corner from her eye and Serenity thought of turning away from his gaze, but decided against it, rather enjoying the feeling of being watched. She watched as the sun began its fiery ascent into the eastern, tainting the sky and clouds with spectacular shades of gold, pink and tangerine, with the sky brightening into a beautiful azure. "What about you?" she said, breaking the silence.

"Me? I was goin' to say sunsets, but I like yours better, I t'ink," Valon replied. Serenity kept a steady gaze at the horizon and Valon suppressed a chuckle; the young woman had a habit of blushing easily. He watched as her auburn hair fluttered behind with with the faint gestures of the wind, the profile of her face. She was on the verge of becoming a woman, with her features sharpening and thinning out as she transitioned from teen to woman. Freckles were splashed across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. Valon decided that he liked freckles. And redheads.

Definitely redheads.

"Got any plans for tonih't?"

"What kind of plans?"

"You know, plans," he said casually.

She turned to face him. "You aren't asking me out on a date, are you?" she teased.

"You aren't flirtin' wit' me, are you?" he countered. "But I guess you could say that I am. So what do you say?"

"I might have to think about it," she replied, a glint coming to her eyes. She was feeling more bold and, dare she say it, flirtatious. Enough to definitely make her claims.

"Don' t'ink about it too long," Valon joked.

She didn't have to think about it. "What time?"

"Sevenish, I guess," he shrugged.

"Great," Serenity smiled. The sunset was all but forgotten as the two chatted amiably, until Serenity realized that her brother might be awake and looking for her, therefore increasing the chances of ruining the moment. "Well, I think I should get going," she began. "My friends will probably be looking for me right about now."

"T'ey sound more like babysitters t'an friends," he teased.

"It's not that, I think they're aren't used to me well, being older," she explained. "See you tonight." she left the bow, leaving Valon at the bow.

"S'ould've gotten 'er number," he grumbled, watching her leave. "Probably get it tonig't."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Serenity opened the door to find Tea at the room's small coffee machine, attempting to figure out how the machine worked. "Bloody machine," Tea grumbled; her hair was in disarray and she looked as if she would topple over asleep at any minute. "Hey Serenity, I was wondering where you had been."

"I was watching the sunrise." she explained offhandedly. "I see that you picked up some curses from Bakura," she teased.

"Well, if the machine wasn't being so, belligerent, then I wouldn't have to curse," Tea let out a cry of happiness when she finally got the machine the start up, the dark brown liquid trickling from the top. When she glanced over at Serenity, she added, "That must have been one whooper of a sunrise."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you have this huge smile glued to your face. So what happened?"

"Nothing," she explained hurriedly. "We should start packing, shouldn't we?"

"Ugh, forgot about that. I'll do it after I've had some coffee in me. That was one of the good things in America. They definitely knew their coffee."

Just then, they heard Joey's voice down the hall. "Tea! Do you know how to work this stupid coffee machine? I swear, I think Midas is torturing us!"

Tea sighed. " 'Kay Serenity, all he has to do is push this button, then this other button," she told the younger Wheeler. She shoved her back out. "Hurry, before he turns into a monster," she said.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She woke up that morning, a headache creeping up on her, a pounding sensation at her temples, which traveled deep into her skull. She groaned as she slowly willed herself out of bed, pausing to let the pounding in her head subside before she went anywhere.

"I know that I didn't drink last night," she muttered, running her hands through her blond hair, what Vivian jokingly called "The Mane". "So why does my head feel like I drank a half-dozen Wallbangers the night before?" She swung her legs over the bedside and made her way to the bathroom, trying not to wake Vivian, who was sprawled across the other bed haphazardly, snoring loudly.

Mai reached for the bottle of aspirin in her toiletries bag , grimacing when she caught a glance at herself in the mirror. "I look like crap," she muttered. The headaches were nothing new to her; they came on after one of her nightmares, but this one felt different and it made her uneasy. She popped two of the aspirin and tossed the bottle back in her bag. She busied herself with getting herself and her things in order, allowing her time to think.

It had been some sort of small miracle when she hadn't run into Joey nor any of his friends on the ship. She swore she saw Valon though, which made her uneasy. Valon was known for participating in the Oceania circuit of the Duel Monsters, but he wasn't prestigious enough to be invited to an exclusive tournament such as this one. "I probably don't deserve to be here either," she remarked. The fact that he was invited made her feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Midas made her feel uneasy as well, reminding her of a snake-oil salesman, or worse. It was impossible to see or tell what the man was thinking, behind that exquisite golden mask of his.

"Give him an opera and he'll be set," Mai attempted to joke to herself, but winced when a stabbing pain raced through her temples. "Let's hope that this goes away by the time this shindig begins."

"Before what begins?" Vivian asked sleepily, leaning against the doorway, yawning. She looked as if she had been dragged behind a herd of mustangs, with her makeup smudged—her mascara was smeared across her nose—and her hair askew and partially out of its hairdo to form a tangled mess. She had fallen asleep in her dress. Mai couldn't stop the smile on her face, despite the discomfort; Vivian had fallen asleep in worse, Mai admitted.

"Morning sleepy head. I was just talking about the tournament begins."

Vivian paused. "Crap, that's today, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Vivian groaned and clutched her head. "Pass the aspirin, will you?" Mai tossed the bottle to her and she took it gratefully. "What happened last night?"

"Well, you had two glasses of champagne and then tried flirting with the busboy, twice, I might add. Then you fell asleep in a chair."

Vivian scowled. "No, I'm talking about you."

"What do you mean?" Mai asked, straining to keep the tension out of her voice. "I didn't get drunk."

"I'm talking about last night. You were acting jumpy and fidgety the whole night, like somebody was out to get you. Even when I introduced that one duelist to you—what's his name, oh, I forget—but when I introduced hm to you, you suddenly acted funny and practically hid out on the deck for the next hour-and-a-half. It's like you're hiding from your own shadow or something."

"Says the girl who's nursing a hangover," Mai countered.

"The point is," Vivian interjected. "Something has been bugging you since this whole thing began and _I _need to know what it is."

"And why's that?" Her headache was making her feel exceptionally cross this morning.

"I'm your friend, stupid." Vivian replied, crossing her arms.

That gave Mai pause. She had never actually admitted that Vivian was her friend before, despite the obvious. Yes, they had competed in the Tag-Team Circuit and often had drinks but she had never considered that Vivian was in fact, a friend, rather than just an acquaintance who was often known for flirting with just about anything of the male human species. During their time with each other, Mai had never thought of discussing her past, deeming it not needed. _"You can't keep running forever,"_ she reminded herself.

"It's a long story," Mai warned.

"I've got time," Vivian replied.

"You probably wouldn't believe me either."

"Mai, I'm probably still drunk. You could tell me the sky is neon green and I'd believe you. Stop making excuses and spill."

"Well. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It wasn't until about 8:30 in the morning when Midas' yacht, the _Mycenae_, pulled close to an island. Duelists scrambled to the front of the ship, hoping to get the first glance of the island that Midas had placed up for grabs. Yugi and the others shoved their way through the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse.

"Okay folks, move along, gotta let the King of Games get a look, right?" Joey grinned, elbowing a fellow duelist out of the way.

"You know Joey, I'm no longer that short," Yugi reminded him, backpack in hand.

"You'll always be a squirt to me Yug'."

"Gee, thanks."

"I wonder what it looks like?" Tea wondered, looking out to the blue depths.

"Probably some lump of rock, with some trees." Duke said.

"You are so unimaginative," Tea snorted.

"I bet it probably had a bunch of orchards-" Tristan said.

"-With olives," Joey added.

"And dates," Bakura finished.

"Is anybody else hungry for gyros right about now?" Joey asked.

Tea sighed. "You guys are like walking abysses, just waiting to be fed."

Suddenly, Serenity pointed. "I think I see it!" As soon as she said it, cries of excitement rang out from the other duelists. Just on the horizon was a shadowy lump, but as the yacht sailed closer, the cries of excitement transformed in coos of excitement.

Duke's remark had been a vast understatement. It was a large enough island, about three miles across, in a vague "L" shape. The harbor of the island was in a gentle crescent moon shape, tucked neatly away in the corner of the "L". the core of the island was hilly and thickly covered with trees. Close to the harbor of the island laid the main complex of Midas' island: a series of buildings meant to house a good number of people. Pools dotted the complex like miniature jewels in a forest green sea of velvet, while the buildings were like silent monoliths of marble and concrete. The island had white sand beaches, warmed by the rays of the Mediterranean sun. As the ship came closer and closer to the dock, Yugi noticed an unusual sight. Just by the dock was a pair of small platforms floating in the ocean water, with railings on three sides. Joey spotted it too.

"Do you think that we might have to duel on those?" he asked Yugi, guessing their purpose.

He shrugged. "I hope not."

The yacht pulled up to port at last, the duelists on the ship stunned into silence by the beauty of Midas' island. "I can't believe the winner is getting this as a prize," Bakura spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Something isn't right though," Tristan said. "It seems too, "nice"."

"Well, way to kill the mood," Duke snorted.

"In case you didn't notice guys," Joey interrupted. "Those floating platforms kind of killed it already—Gah!"

The ship lurched to a sudden halt as worked at the dock scurried about, securing a walkway from the ship to the docks. A pair of workers, dressed in clean, crisp uniforms, waited at the bottom of the walkway, with pamphlets in hand.

_"Please go down the walkway in an orderly fashion,"_ a voice announced over the ship's PA system. _"And please take one of the pamphlets from the workers down below. Thank you."_

"Looks like we better get going, huh?" Yugi said, noting the crowd gathering at the walkway, with the tall form of Kaiba towering over most of the duelists. Kaiba didn't acknowledge them as he went by. It was a bottleneck effect as duelists scrambled and shoved their way past each other in order to be the first on the island. When they finally made it down the walkway, one of the workers handed Yugi a pamphlet.

"What is it?" he asked the worker, eying the cover of the document. It was a simple sea green color, with gold trimming. An image of a golden mask decorated the center.

"It is for the tournament," she explained, smiling.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," he added, just before the throngs of people shoved him further away from her before she could explain any further. He glanced to his friends. Joey and Bakura had received them as well. Joey had started to flip through his when Tristan yanked it from his hands.

"Hey!" Joey protested. "I haven't even looked at it yet!"

"I'll tell you what it is," Tristan joked, looking at the insides. "It looks like a "game plan" of the tournament, showing how its set up."

"Midas did say that it was being divided into four sections, with sixteen duelists in each group."

"Yeah, but check out who's all in this tournament. Rex, Weevil, Mako, and-whoa! Joey, you better take a look at this!"

Joey snatched it back from Tristan. "I was before you snatched it from me-" he inhaled sharply as he studied the pamphlet. "No way," he breathed softly. "There's no possible way that-"

"What is it, Joey?" Serenity said, alarm creeping into her tone.

"Mai's here."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Welcome one and all, to my Tournament of Kings!" Midas boomed, standing at the topmost part of his yacht. The collective attention of the duelists turned to him. "Today starts the first day of the tourney, the first day of many days, until the single winner is picked." He held up what looked to be a piece of paper, a piece of paper that Yugi could only assume was the pamphlet. "If you would take a look inside the pamphlet-"

"We did," Joey muttered darkly behind Yugi.

"-You will see that the pamphlet is divided into four parts. These are the four tiers, with sixteen duelists each. The contest is run in the bracket style of tournament, if you lose, you're eliminated. The winner of each of these tiers will be in the semi-final, with the overall winner being pulled from the four. But if you would look closer, under each name there is two numbers. The first number is between one through six, while the second is also one through six."

"What did you get Yugi?" Bakura whispered. "I have four and five."

"I have two and six."

"The first series of numbers represents the phases of the tournament. Due to the limited size of the island and the large number of duelists, the tournament will take place in rounds. Those with the number one will duel first, while those with two duel second, and so on and so forth." Midas continued.

"This is making my head spin."Tristan muttered.

"Yeah." Duke agreed.

"The second series of numbers represent the stage you will be dueling on. There are six fields dotted around the island and-" Midas let out a chuckle. "You'll find them quite enjoyable. That field over there," Midas pointed to the two floating platforms in the water. "Is Field number three."

"Hoo boy," Joey grumbled, implying that he had field number three.

"As you can see," Midas said. "That not all duels will finish simultaneous of course, due to varying skill levels, so after each duel, there is a ten minute time limit to clear the field and the next phase dueling in that field can take their place. But I'm sure that will be much clearer once you begin the tourney. The first round of brackets will be taking place today, with the thirty-two duelists that win today dueling tomorrow. I'm sure though, that you are growing bored with this, so I say this to you:

"May the tournament begin!"

As soon as Midas finished, a voice came over the PA system. _"The duels will begin at 9:30 am. If you would please follow the workers, they will help lead you to your rooms. Thank you and have an enjoyable time."_

"So, who duels when and where?" Tea asked, her voice cutting through the chaos.

"Well, Yugi has phase one and field six, and I have Phase four and Field five," Bakura replied. "Yugi is dueling some duelist named "Charles X" and I'm dueling someone named "Micah Angelos.""

"Looks like I'm right in between you two," Joey said. "I'm Phase three and Field three."

"So you're dueling on the water then?" Serenity queried her older brother.

"Looks like it," Joey added with a shudder. "Looks like we better blow this taco stand. May the best man win, right?"

Yugi nodded. "Right."

**This is where the real fun begins :). I was panicked about doing all the duels, but then I found Yu-Gi-Oh Wiki, where it has the cards of every single version of the characters' decks, including those from all the video games and wherever else. So for Odion, Marik and Ishizu, their decks will be a compilation of these numerous decks. The good news is that despite this first part of the story being a tourney style fic, there is only a handful of duels total in the story.**

** Oh yes, and playing poker using potato chips instead of real poker chips is hilarious.**

** And did you see the two pop culture references in the end? They made me lol :)**

** Oh, and for those who are curious, a Wallbanger-or, more specifically, a Harvey Wallbanger—is an alcoholic beverage made of vodka, orange juice and Galliano(and I have no idea what that is, so don't ask). It was named after a famous patron from some bar or whatever. **

** Because I can totally see them knocking back shots of vodka, especially Vivian ;)**


	15. Chapter 15: Live and Let Die

Chapter 15: Live and Let Die

**I seriously need to stop picking Bond movies/books for my titles. Curse you !**

Tel Aviv was far more crowded than Sivya expected. She had only been to a city twice: the first was her baptismal when she was an infant, the second was at a small town outside Giza, to bury her mother at the family grave. The sights, the sounds and the contained chaos of the city enthralled and frightened her, so she kept close to Marik and Odion, whose towering frame stood out from the rest of Tel Aviv's residents. They had arrived at the docks of the city, as the smuggler, Hakan, claimed, but due to increased security, they didn't actually set foot in the city until late that afternoon, close to five that evening. Sivya could feel the lethargy of a long day seeping into her core, but the exciting sights of the city kept her wide awake and buzzing with energy.

Marik, on the other hand, was growing more and more frustrated as they wandered the streets, hoping to find a quick and efficient passage out of the city as humanely quick as they could. The problem was the ring that Marik was carrying, the one that had once been Tshilaba's, was not functioning as it should. It would spin and wobble frantically in his hand as he attempted to read from it, but would then cease and fall back into his palm, leaving Marik with nothing. He growled in frustration as the ring failed to work for the sixth time.

"What is the matter?" Odion asked, leaning into him, spying the flash of silver in his hand. "Is the ring not working?"

"Not as it should," Marik snapped. "It goes crazy, then fall back into my hand. I know that the magic hasn't faded, because I can feel it. So either Tshilaba's found a way to deflect the magic, or something has happened to her and we do not need to keep following her."

"Which do you think?"

Marik sighed. "Probably the former. Tshilaba's a lot smarter than we give her credit for."

"So now what?"

"I'm not sure entirely. We know that she is about two days ahead of us, and heading due north, through the rural regions of Israel, from what it told me last night, so I guess we should call it a day and get some rest."

"That, is a very good idea," Aaron replied, coming to them, flipping his cell phone shut; he had been making a call. "I just called some of by friends in the police force. They said that they'll keep an eye out for Tshilaba, but they admitted that they've been having their hands full with a case. They found a dead guy in the back of a bar just a couple of days ago. Well known criminal, died of alcohol poisoning. Kind of odd, considering."

A shudder went down Marik's spine. It seemed like something Tshilaba would do, despite the evidence. It was too much to be just a coincidence. "Oh, well thank you for checking for us."

"Oh Marik, come take a look at this!" Sivya proclaimed. She had been looking at a cart's fare while the trio had been talking. "He makes music boxes!" She held one up. "It's so beautiful!"

"Yeah," Marik half mumbled, partly embarrassed by her sudden outburst, and partly embarrassed for some other reason, one he couldn't quite place. She seemed so enthusiastic about it. Then something struck him as he watched the crowds ebb and flow around him. "She sticks out like a sore thumb," he noted, comparing her clothing with those around them. The last thing he wanted was someone—namely Tshilaba or one of her cronies—targeting them because they stood out so easily. "They must think she is some sort of barbarian, or worse." he muttered.

"What do you suggest we do then?" Odion offered, overhearing Marik's remarks.

"We got to get her out of those clothes," he replied, then flushed as he saw Oidon quirk a single eyebrow, trying to hold back a smile. "Not like that!"

"You said it, Master Marik, not me."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I think there are some boutiques around here," Odion said, glancing around. "Since we won't be able to track Tshilaba until tomorrow, perhaps you can take a little "side trip". It would also help you relax and maybe, be able to track her again with the ring."

Marik took a sidelong glance at Sivya, who was showing off her _rhaita_ to the music box seller, whom seemed delighted with her playing, guessing from the expression on his face. He went over, pushing through the throngs of people, making up his mind. "What do you have there?" he asked her.

"I was showing him one of the songs I knew on my _rhaita_, since it sounded like one of the songs on the music box." She picked up said music box. It was not very big, small enough to be cradled in her palms, and gold, with the design of a dove on the lid. She flipped it up to show him and he heard the faint strains of the melody. He had to admit, it was very beautiful.

"She is very talented, like my music box came to life!" the cart keeper claimed, clapping his hand like a child. "As her brother, you must be very proud of her."

"She's not my sister," Marik interjected.

"Oh! My pardon, you must be her boyfriend then!"

Sivya blushed as Marik floundered, trying to find something to say. "She-she..she's just my friend!" he nearly shouted. Sivya nodded in reply.

"Ah, I'm very sorry for that!" the merchant apologized profusely.

"It is fine," Sivya said. She held the music box in her hands for a moment longer, then placed it back on the cart.

Just then, Marik picked the box back up and handed it to Sivya. "Here, I'll get it for you." He fished out his wallet and pulled out some cash. "Will this do?" Marik asked the merchant.

The merchant gawked at the money and nodded eagerly, smiling all the while. "Yes! Thank you!" He reached for the cashier, to make change, when Marik stopped him.

"Keep the change."

He handed the box to Sivya, who was near fit to burst at this point. She held the box close to her ear, listening to the faint tinklings of the music box. She closed her eyes, lost in her own little reverie. When the strains ended, she clutched the box close to her. "Thank you," she said. It looked as if she wanted to say more, but Marik shook off the feeling.

"You're welcome. Now, we need to get you some new clothes. You'll fit in better." Just then a pair of girls, in their mid- to late teens, walked by, wearing skimpy tank tops and extremely short denim shorts. Sivya's eyes nearly bugged out of her skull.

"I won't have to wear those, will I?"

Marik was taken aback at the two girls' wardrobe choices, but Sivya's comment brought him back to reality and he burst out laughing. "Not unless you want to, but I wouldn't recommend it. We'll find you something a little more modest."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Out of the three men it seemed that Marik was the most fit to help Sivya pick out a new wardrobe. Aaron had politely declined, saying that he had to make hotel reservations, and Odion had told Marik that the younger Ishtar was far more fit to deal with fashion than he. Marik had protested, a little, at first, but he had to admit, he hadn't gone out and done something fun in a while, even if it was helping a girl shop.

They had visited a few boutiques, with Sivya picking out one or two things. She had gone for a more modest wardrobe, with long skirts and airy tops. They were at their third boutique, when Sivya had gone back into a changing room, led by one of the female attendants. Marik sank back in a chair. "Ishizu is _so_ much easier to shop for," Marik huffed.

"That's because she spends more time doing research or other business rather than on things like dress," Odion replied. "Besides, Sivya is new to this, so she probably doesn't know what she likes or dislikes."

"I guess," Marik reluctantly agreed. He slipped the ring out of his pocket and attempted to read it again. The ring hovered, spinning and wobbling, but it fell back into his palm. "Nothing."

"I think it is the influx of people in the city that is affecting the spell. If you were to perhaps attempt it again at night or outside the city, it would be more successful."

". . .Odion, why are you always right and I'm always wrong?"

"Because Master Marik, somebody has to have a level head." Odion smiled at his own joke.

Marik began to scowl at his older brother, eliciting a chuckle from the older Ishtar, laugh lines crinkling his eyes and mouth. Odion always looked years younger when he smiled or laughed.

"Very funny Odion. I have a level head thank you very much-"

"Marik?" Sivya called from across the room. She stepped out from behind a rack of clearance clothing. "Odion? Do you like this one?" she asked tentatively. The clerk who was assisting her was a few feet away, watching. Sivya was wearing a flowing forest green skirt that ended just below her knees and a long cream hued tee. A dark blue, almost violet, scarf, with small coins dangling from the fringe, was tied around her hips like a makeshift belt. She still wore her sandals and carried her staff with her.

Marik, taken by surprise, fumbled for something appropriate to say, without trying to sound uneducated or clumsy. He had to admit, she looked very good, giving off a bohemian vibe that suited her very well. "Well, um, I think you, um, how do I say this?-"

"You look very nice," Odion cut in smoothly. Sivya flushed at the compliment.

"Exactly," Marik added meekly.

"Thank you," Sivya said.

"Are you ready to ring up?" The attendant asked, eager for her pay.

"Yes, I think I am. Thank you for your help."

Just then, Odion's cell phone began to ring and he picked it up. "Hello?"

_"Hey, this is Aaron calling. I finally got us a hotel room, well, two rooms. I'll meet you at the marketplace." _Aaron hung up just as quickly as he called.

Odion shoved the phone back into his pocket. "We should get going. Aaron called and said that he got a hotel room for us."

Marik nodded. "Ready to go, Sivya?"

"I think so. I should go and pay them though."

"Here, I'll come with you. I'm the one carrying the wallet."

"Oh right, I seem to have forgotten."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

An older man watched the crowd, sipping idly at his tea. The coffee shop he was at wasn't very big, but its open porch out to the marketplace was an excellent observation point, he determined. He wore what would seem out of place in a city like Tel Aviv, with a long trench coat and tunic. He looked more like a monk than anything, saved for the neatly trimmed brunette beard, with some gray sprinkled in; the past years had been stressful. He adjusted his monocle as his foot brushed up against the black briefcase at his side, the gesture reassuring. A tall burly man with black hair and even blacker eyes sat near him, his leather jacket barely containing the shoulder holster he wore. The bodyguard seemed even less amused than his charge was, his coffee barely even touched.

The older man kept his eye out on the crowds in front of him, scanning for someone, or someones in this case. He smirked as he spotted them. One was tall, with a bald pate and a long black ponytail, wearing traditional clothing and tattoos marring the left side of his face. The other was shorted, with blonde hair and wearing a blue top and black pants, with a black over the ensemble. Next to him was a slender woman, wearing a bohemian like outfit, walking with a staff. The last member was as tall as the first man, heavily muscled and walking with the airs of military experience.

He reached for his cell phone and dialed a number, a green stone on his right hand flashing as he did so.

"Tshilaba," he greeted.

_"Oh, it's you. What do you have for me?"_

"I just saw them walk by. Marik and Odion Ishtar."

_"Good, good. You do know what to do, right?"_

"Of course, I've done it before, you know."

_ "Don't remind me. Just get it done."_

"As you wish." Tshilaba hung up on him and he placed the phone back in the folds of his coat. He turned to his bodyguard. "Are you ready?"

"Yes Master."

the older man got up gracefully from his seat and pulled out some change, placing it on the table next to his half finished tea. "Let's get going then, shall we? It's been a while since I had the pleasure of doing this."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Marik eyed the window thoughtfully as he watched the streets below. Evening was fast approaching, darkening the skies. The distinct rumbles of thunder were heard off in the distance as storm clouds began to gather and build up, bringing with it the prospect of rain in their heavy bellies. The air was humid, despite being indoors and he felt on edge, like electricity was building in his soul. The rooms Aaron managed to rent for the night weren't too bad, he stayed underground for most of his life, so just about anything was much better than his ancestral home. Aaron had gotten two rooms, one for Odion, Aaron and he, and the other for Sivya, due to the fact that she was the only female. The rooms were connected with with adjoining doors, for easy movement between the two. Marik wanted to be as alert as possible, plus, he was oddly comforted by her presence in the other room. She was like a balm, relaxing and soothing all at once.

He turned his eyes upwards to the swollen skies, thinking. Why did he react the way he did when Sivya stepped out in the outfit at the boutique? He felt tongue tied and odd when she stepped out, even though clearly, he had seen beautiful women many times before in his life.

So why should Sivya be any different?, he contemplated.

"Marik?" Aaron queried. He was across the hotel room; Odion and Sivya had left to bring something back to the hotel and eat. "Are you alright? You seem "out" of it."

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking. I'm trying to figure out another way to track Tshilaba because my ring isn't working," he lied. There were just certain aspects of his life he didn't like to talk about, his near nonexistent love life being one of them.

Aaron shuddered. "Magic, I don't know how you guys can use that stuff. I saw more than enough to last two lifetimes when I was helping your sister."

"Wouldn't it be safe to say that religion could be considered "magic", as well?" Marik countered, unamused by Aaron's comment.

Aaron unconsciously reached for the Star of David necklace. "Don't bring my beliefs into this," he warned.

"Then don't criticize my magic. Not all magic is evil. It is only a tool, a force in the universe to help explain things we can't normally. It is the person who can make magic evil, not magic itself, just like how certain religious fanatics will kill or blow themselves up in the name of their religion."

"You sound like an atheist," Aaron remarked, mildly impressed with Marik.

"Not an atheist, just jaded," Marik admitted. "When you've seen the things I have you'll understand."

"I don't though, and that is where we're different," Aaron said. "But perhaps you'll come back to it one day, God, I mean."

"I think I'll eat my own shoes before that happens," Marik teased, his mood lightening.

"We're back," Odion called out, juggling two large bags in his hands, the hotel room key in his mouth. Sivya was behind him, carrying drinks. "Marik, they didn't have any vegetarian dishes at the Chinese place, so I got you some kushari from just down the street."

"Fantastic!" Marik nearly ran across the room to grab the container from Odion. "I'm starving!"

"You didn't have to restrain Marik, did you?" Odion asked Aaron teasingly.

"Well, we had a discussion on religion, so he was relatively well-behaved-," As Aaron was finishing his sentence, he heard a distinctive "pop" sound from the outside and watched with avid fascination as a hole suddenly appeared in the far wall. Aaron recognized the sound immediately.

"Everybody down now!" He screamed, grabbing Marik and tossing him boldly to the floor, with the former Mossad on top of him, shielding him with his body. Odion did likewise with Sivya, dropping the food to the ground. Glass and chunks of plaster went flying everywhere as bullets roared across the room, going from left to right. The air was thick with bullets and the noise created from shattering glass was deafening. A roar of a card was heard through the din, leading Marik to think that someone had a getaway vehicle.

What seemed like forever was over in a couple of seconds. The air was thick with dust from the flying plaster and broken glass liberally covered the floor. Marik cursed loudly and forced his way out from underneath Aaron. He started to push his way through the door, over Sivya and Odion, and to the outside of the hotel, but he stopped and grabbed something off the nightstand, possessing the uneasy feeling that he would need it in the near future. The weight of his Duel Disk rested comfortably on his arm as he bolted out of the room.

"What is he doing!" Aaron bellowed, infuriated.

"Going after whoever is responsible for this," Odion explained, going after Marik. Aaron let out an exasperated noise not unlike an agitated cat and went after the elder Ishtar with Sivya running after the pair.

Marik managed to make out on to the street, just as he saw the shadow of a large vehicle go around a corner. On a hunch, he pulled out the ring and held it in his palm. The ring began to go crazy, but stopped and the stone set in the center pointed in the same direction of the vehicle. He looked around, trying to find something that will assist him in his pursuit of the culprit. He spotted a motorcycle about ten yards away, being parked by an young, lanky man. He pulled out his wallet. "excuse me, can I borrow this?" he asked, gesturing to the bike.

"Well, I, um, I don't know..."

Marik hissed and pulled out a wad of bills and roughly shoved them into the stranger's hands. "I promise I'll bring it back, okay?"

"Well, I guess..."

"Thanks." Marik snatched the helmet off the handlebars and pulled it on, revving up the bike as he did so. He roared off in the same direction of the mysterious car, weaving through the crowd of startled people.

Meanwhile, Odion, Aaron and Sivya ran out into the street, only to find Marik not there. Aaron shouted to one of the residents. "Did someone with blond hair and a black vest run by here not too long ago?"

"Yeah," the lanky man replied. "He paid me to borrow his motorcycle."

"Which way did he go?"

The man pointed in the direction of the fleeing car. "That way."

"Got anything we can borrow?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Marik could sense the ring vibrating in his pocket as he pursued the car. It was a large vehicle, a SUV, black, with chrome accessories. The streetlights had just turned on and the skies began to empty with a light drizzle of rain that seemed to obscure everything in a veil of mist and darkness and condensing on the face shield of his borrowed helmet. The pursuit lasted for nearly an half an hour, winding through back streets and crowds of people. He wove through a crowd of citizens when he suddenly lost the SUV. He snarled under his helmet when he noticed that the vehicle managed to cross over a culvert and was driving along said culvert. Instinctively, Marik found a make-shift ramp, a pile of corrugated metal just to his right and revving up the engine, Marik drove to the pile of metal, and shoving his foot down the gas, made the jump off the ramp and sailing over the culvert, much to the astonishment of a homeless man.

What Marik didn't predict though, was the landing. He managed to spike the landing by a miracle. He made a sharp turn to the right to pursue the SUV, which wasn't too far ahead, due to the narrowing streets.

"I got you now, Tshilaba," he crowed to himself, pulling closer. The SUV stopped suddenly though, forcing Marik to slam on the brakes. He watched as a burly, tank like man in a leather jacket, jump out of the vehicle, tossing aside a sub-machine gun into a local dumpster truck. "That's not Tshilaba," Marik mumbled. "Hey! Hey you! Get back here!" Marik screamed, drawing the man's attention. He threw Marik an angry look and bolted down an alley.

"Get back here!" Marik screeched, running after him and turning down the alley the man went down, his shoes slapping the pavement hard. The man leapt over a pile of trash bags, his hands grabbing onto a stairway railing of one of the buildings.

"He's like a gorilla," Marik growled as he jumped over a pile of trash and ran to the side to run up the stairway after the man. The rain was beginning to pour down harder now, a cold rain that soaked through his clothes. The man managed to disappear onto the roof, just as Marik reached the staircase. He followed him up anyway.

When he got up to the roof of the building, he found that the place was empty, with a water tank in one corner and a shack next to it. Otherwise it was just him.

Until he felt the cold metal of a gun barrel press up against the small of his back.

"Don't think about running," a voice whispered in he ear, sending a chill down Marik's spine.

"I wasn't planning to," Marik assured him shakily.

"Ah, so the great Marik Ishtar as deigned himself to duel with the surface dwellers," a second voice chuckled. The door of the shack swung up, revealing a staircase leading down and a man coming onto the roof. The man was tall, dressed in a black coat and a brown tunic and pants. The hood of the coat was obscuring most of his face, but in the streetlight, Marik caught the flash of a piece of glass in his eye, a monocle.

"I would hate to be the one to tell you this," Marik began. "But the monks called: they want their wardrobe back." He started to smirk at his own joke, until the bodyguard shoved the gun barrel a little harder into Marik's back.

"Careful, I've got some pretty sweet tattoos back there," Marik told the bodyguard, who growled.

"Silence!" The other man shouted over the din of the rain. "You speak so bold for one who is face-to face-with their demise."

"_You're_ my demise?" Marik proclaimed, gawking at the man's odd look.

"Yes, I am." He removed the hood over his face with his right hand, revealing the face of one with graying hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. His eyes were cold and calculating behind the small polished piece of glass that served as a monocle. The man raised his left arm to reveal a Duel Disk, unlike one that Marik had seen before. It reminded Marik of a scythe mounted to the man's arm, in dark green and a slightly lighter shade of blue, though it was hard to tell in the rain. "My name is Gurimo-"

"-And your soul is mine."

** What a twist!**

** I love writing sibling interaction. Joey and Serenity, Mokuba and Seto, the Ishtar siblings, it's all very fun and enjoyable to write because let's face it, it is one of the huge points of the whole show. **

** I also find it cute at how everybody thinks Sivya and Marik are a couple. The whole first two-thirds of the chapter happened rather spontaneously, to be honest. :)**

** Another thing you're probably wondering is where does Marik get all his money from? This is where head-canon comes in. I believe that the Ishtars are a very wealthy family, with vast amounts of gold-some in bars, some as valuable goods- dating back three thousand years. In my head-canon, Ishizu's grandfather saw the potential in this and began to unload some of the gold ingots (with approval from the Imhotep, of course) and started to invest in the global market, eventually making the Ishtars quite wealthy, though not _nearly_ as wealthy as Mr. Kaiba. They ironically had little use for the wealth back then, but now...**

** Maybe her grandfather knew something she didn't ;)**


	16. Chapter 16: Serpent's Dance

Chapter 16: Serpent's Dance

**Warning: There is dueling coming up in this next chapter. I'll try my hardest to keep as close to the rules as possible (with some minor tweaking, like in the anime) and I will try to keep it as entertaining as possible, because who wants to read a boring duel?**

** Also there is a bit of a disturbing scene in here. Not _uber_ disturbing, but it might just weird you guys out.**

"Wait, you want my soul?" Marik asked, astonished.

"Did I stutter?" Gurimo snarled, growing irate with the young man. "Why do you think I lured you here?"

"Because you tried to kill me?"

"Don't be stupid boy," Gurimo scoffed. "You have something that we want." He raised his hand to reveal the ring with the green stone. "However, we cannot take it from you by force, only by a duel."

"We, who's we?"

"That is none of your business."

"So let me get this straight: you and this mysterious person want something of mine—namely my soul, but you can't kill me, so you decide to duel me in order to get it. Gee, I wonder where I've heard that from?"

"Don't mess with me boy," Gurimo warned. The bodyguard nudged Marik with the gun for emphasis. "It is not just your soul we want." The green stone jabbed painfully into Marik's side and he made the connection with the stone on Gurimo's hand and the rock in Marik's pocket.

"Tshilaba," Marik whispered. "That do you know about Tshilaba?"

Gurimo sneered. "Ah, so you have a bargaining chip after all. I'll tell you what, I win, I get your soul. If you win, I'll tell you about Tshilaba. Deal?"

"Yeah, as soon as you get your goon to stop trying to molest me with the gun. Has he ever been to prison before? Because he'd fit right in there."

Gurimo snapped his fingers. "Bryan, back off." The bodyguard nodded and stepped back, his gun still cocked and loaded. Gurimo activated his Duel Disk, as did Marik.

_"I haven't dueled in a looong time,"_ Marik admitted silently. _"But I can't show it, because if I show even one tiny mistake, he gets my soul. I've lost it once, I don't want to lose it again." _He took a deep breath_._

"Duel!"

"I shall go first," Gurimo smirked as he drew his cards.

"For the record, you have a really bad poker face," Marik remarked.

"I do not need your crude remarks. I summon Field-Commander Rahz in attack mode and place two cards face down," Gurimo called out. A warrior in a tattered cloak and short hair appeared on the field, with 1600 attack points and 1200 defense points. "Now, I activate his special ability: when he's summoned, I can choose one warrior monster from my deck and place it on the top of my deck. Now, which one should I choose?" Gurimo teased. He selected a card and placed it on top, shuffling his deck before he did so.

"Fine," Marik snarled. "My turn. I place one monster in face down mode, and place one card face down, and end my turn."

"No attacking? Is Marik Ishtar a far worse duelist without his mighty god card?" Gurimo taunted. "Very well then. I summon my Shadow Tamer in attack mode. It looks like your duel here will end very shortly, boy."

"We'll see about that," Marik replied confidently, trying to hide his nervousness. Gurimo's strategy was clear and simple: he was trying to swarm the field and overwhelm him. _"We'll see about that."_

"Shadow Tamer, attack his face down card!" The monster, a beautiful woman wielding a whip, lunged towards the card, but was stopped when a light appeared under the card.

"You just activated my face down monster, Man-Eater Bug!" A hideous bug with pincher like arms grabbed Shadow Tamer within its claws and squeezed, destroying her. "Whenever Man-Eater Bug is flipped up, it destroys a monster on the field. It's such a shame that your Shadow Tamer had to find this out."

"No matter," Gurimo snarled, as he lost his monster. "You're wide open for an attack. Field Commander Rahz, show him the true meaning of battle!" Marik flinched as the warrior struck him with its sword, slashing him from head to hip, dropping him down from 4000 to 2400 life points. Marik felt the stinging lash of the blade and brought his hand up to his cheek. He pulled his hand away to see a faint dribble of blood on his fingertips.

"I'm bleeding," he muttered.

"This duel is very different from your "Shadow Games"," Gurimo explained. "This time, your body and your soul are at stake."

"Fantastic," Marik grumbled, wiping his bloody hand on his pants. He drew a card. "I place two cards face down and I summon Gil Garth in attack mode." A metal golem wielding a hefty scimitar appeared. "Gil Garth, attack Field-Commander Rahz!" The golem stormed the field, striking Field Commander Rahz down and depleting Gurimo by 200 points. What struck Marik as odd was how calm Gurimo was the entire battle, like he was planning something. "Strange," Marik muttered

"Hmph, your attacks mean nothing to me," Gurimo said, drawing a card. He started to laugh manically, Marik quirking an eyebrow at the sudden change in mood. "I have drawn the card that will be the beginning of the end for you! I summon the Seal of Orichalcos!" He shouted triumphantly, sliding the card into a slot built into the Duel Disk. A blast of green light shot skywards from the Disk and a circle expanded from it until it surrounded both Gurimo and Marik. A six pointed star appeared in the center, while runes of an unknown language dotted the edge of the magic circle. A miniature replica of the seal showed up on Gurimo's forehead, his eyes gaining a red tint to them.

"The Seal of What now?" Marik proclaimed, watching the scene unfold before his eyes. "And here I thought the Shadow Games were weird."

"The Seal of Orichalcos is a force far more stronger than your puny Shadow Games, for there is no escape from this Seal until the duel has ended." Gurimo said, almost reverently.

"Let the real games begin."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Aaron, Sivya and Odion were wandering the streets of Tel Aviv, searching for any sign, small as it may be, for Marik and the mysterious assailant. Unfortunately, it was as if Marik had completely disappeared off the map. Aaron had thought of calling him, but Odion had held Marik's up, suggesting otherwise. So, they decided to ask random strangers on the street, hoping that one of them may have seen Marik zoom by on the motorcycle he borrowed, following a black SUV. Thankfully, the people on the street were mostly helpful, guiding the three in their search of Marik Ishtar.

Sivya caught a glimpse of something on the horizon. A green blast of light shot up towards the heavens, piercing the slate gray veil of the thunderclouds. "Odion, Aaron, what is that?" she asked, never seeing anything like it before.

Odion and Aaron turned around to see the bolt of green light. "Nothing I've never seen before," Aaron admitted, in awe of the unusual, if fearsome scene.

"But I can bet that Marik had something to do with it," Odion added, an uneasy feeling growing the pits of his bowels. The green was an abnormal hue and erupting from the city skyline in an unearthly pattern that no light should make. "I say we find it." He suggested.

"Excellent idea," Aaron agreed, readjusting his Duel Disk. After Marik had stormed out the wreckage of the hotel room with his Duel Disk, Aaron and Odion thought of doing the same thing. Strange things were afoot that night and Aaron and Odion, both experienced with the horrors of the Shadows, knew that it was best to be prepared, as odd as it may seem.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"First," Gurimo started. "I'll activate my magic card , The Warrior Returning Alive, to bring back my Field-Commander Rahz back from the Graveyard, with his ability allowing me to place another level four or lower monster on the top of my deck." The monster came back to the field, but this time, its eyes were the same red hue as its master's, with a miniature Seal on its forehead. "And now you get to see the first ability the Orichalcos has, giving all my monsters a five hundred point boost." Marik watched in horror as Gurimo's monster gained an extra five hundred attack points. "Now, attack his Gil Garth and wipe out more of his life points!"

"That's where you're wrong!" Marik shouted. "Activate trap card, Magic Cylinder!"

"What?" Gurimo screeched.

"You really should pay more attention to your opponents," Marik chided. "You see, when Magic Cylinder is activated, not only is your attack is negated, _I _get to direct its attack points to your life points, and since that lovely, if creepy Orichalcos gives your monsters a five hundred bonus, you now lose 2100 points. Surprise!" Marik watched as a pair of cylinders popped up in front of Gurimo's monster. Field-Commander Rahz went down one of them, only to be shot out the other and colliding into Gurimo, dropping him down to 1900 points. Gurimo was shoved back into the barrier of the Orichalcos, his back arching in pain as the mystical energies jolted his body.

"You'll pay for that!" Gurimo screamed, staggering back to his position. I place one card face down to end my turn.

"But not yet, it's my turn you know," Marik said. "First I summon Jinzo #7 in attack mode, then I activate my first face down card, Solemn Wishes. This trap card allows me to gain five hundred life points for each card, or cards, I draw. Next, I activate my second face down, Card Destruction!"

"No!" Gurimo cried out.

"Sorry Charlie," Marik shrugged. "Just think of it this way: you can start off fresh."

"But you gain an extra thousand life points!"

"I know, isn't that nice." Marik laughed as he discarded his hand, then drew two new cards. "I place one card face down. Now I activate Jinzo #7's special ability: he can attack your life points directly. Jinzo, attack Gremlin directly." Jinzo #7, a cyborg-like creature, charged towards Gurimo, cutting his life points down even further, to 1400. "Finish this duel off, Gil Garth, take him out once and for all!"

"Activate Negate Trap!" Marik's monster came to a screeching halt just as he was ready to swing his scimitar down. "Not this time," Gurimo said. "I'm not losing that easily."

"I've still got next turn," Marik shrugged. At least there was one good thing about the Seal: it created a dome, constructed of magical energies that kept the rain out.

"We'll see. My move! First, I activate my Card of Sanctity, which allows us to draw until we have six cards." Marik drew four cards, gaining him another two thousand points, on top of the previous one thousand from his last turn, bringing him up to 5400 life points. Gurimo scowled at that _"No matter, I'll bring him down either way,"_ he thought. "I summon Marauding Captain in attack mode! Once again, the Seal gives him a five hundred bonus. And now, I activate my magic card, Bronze Knight!"

"I've never heard of that card before," Marik remarked.

"Of course you haven't," Gurimo sneered at him. "For each card I discard, I can summon a Bronze Knight token, so I discard the rest of my hand to summon four Bronze Knight Tokens!" Four armored knights were summoned on the field, each with five hundred points, then gaining another five hundred due to the Orichalcos, bringing the total up to one thousand. "I end my turn."

"Well, since you can't really attack me, nor can you place any trap or magic cards down." Marik snorted. " First, My Solemn Wishes card gives me another five hundred life points. Next, I sacrifice my Gil Garth to summon Millennium golem, in attack-"

_He found himself in his mind's eye and realized with a start that he was in the Seal of Orichalcos, staring down a very familiar enemy: his yami._

_ "You again," Marik spat at him._

_ His yami laughed manically, holding his arms out wide, the Millennium Rod in one hand, unsheathed. Branded on his forehead was the Seal of Orichalcos. "You feel it, don't you?"_

_ "Feel what?" Marik snarled._

_ "The power, the power of the Seal coursing through your veins, like blood. Its power resonates with your soul until you are one." Marik felt a stabbing pain in his leg and unconsciously moved his hand down and felt the jagged edges of the rock he had been carrying. They felt like diamond edges cutting through the fabric. " Can't you feel it? The power, the rage, the _hate_. Embrace the power, accept it and feel the power it gives you. Give in,," he yami urged. "You embraced my darker side, so why not the Orichalcos?_

_ "I have." Using the sharp blade of the Millennium Rod, his darker side ran the knife point across the underside of his forearm and drawing blood. Marik gasped in pain, clutching at his arm, sinking to his knees. Yet when he pulled his hand away, there was no wound. "Feel it, it wants you, it needs you, embrace its power." his yami pulled the Rod away from his arm, the Rod dripping with blood. _

_ The blood wasn't red though, but instead flowed the same color as the Seal, that sea green hue. His yami laughed once again, tossing his head towards the sky, arm bleeding green._

_ "Finish him," Marik commanded. "It isn't so hard you know, just one little attack on his toy soldiers and his soul will be forever captured by the Seal, while you wander free. Make him suffer, for he has forsaken the ways of the Seal!"_

_ "I won't play into your little game," Marik shouted, arm still throbbing. "I won't do it!"_

_ "Finish him!"_

_ "No."_

_ "Do it!" his yami screeched, the veins in his head throbbing, the Seal pulsing in time with the blood dripping from his arm._

_ "No!"_

Just as suddenly as the vision came, it left, leaving Marik disorientated and slightly nauseated. His arm throbbed painfully, where his _yami_ had cut himself, but there was no trace of the wound left. "Well boy?" Gurimo shouted from across the dueling field. Marik realized where he was then. "Are you going to finish your turn? The Seal is waiting."

"I place my Millennium Golem in defense mode and place one card face down. I end my turn. _That'll show you, stupid voice."_ he said, recalling how desperately his _yami_ wanted him to finish Gurimo off.

"Very well then, but you have sealed your own fate," Gurimo said. "I activate my magic card, Monster reborn to bring back Freed the Matchless General!" A man with flowing blond hair and shining armor came on the field, with 2800 attack points, thanks to the boost the Orichalcos Seal gave him

"Whoa, that's against the rules," Marik said. "You can't have more than five monsters on the field at a time!"

"But with the Orichalcos on the field, I can have up to ten," Gurimo laughed "Freed the Matchless General, attack his Jinzo #7 directly!"

"No!" Marik shouted as Gurimo's monster obliterated Jinzo#7, dropping his life points by 2300, leaving him with 3600 life points. _"But why not Millennium Golem?"_ he wondered. It seemed very strange; if he were in Gurimo's shoes, he would have used Freed to wipe out Millennium Golem, then chip away at his life points with the rest of his monsters. That was when it came to him_ "He's toying with me, that sick man. Well, I won't let him do it. I'll finish him before he gets the chance," _he thought, almost hatefully.

Gurimo's guard wandered over close to the Seal. "Master," he whispered. "We seem to have guests coming our way."

"Very good," Gurimo replied. "I'll deal with them." He fiddled with the ring, twisting the stone three times.

"Guests?" Marik pondered. "Oh no. . ."

_-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

The alleyways were all but silent as a grave as Aaron, Odion and Sivya wandered them. The green light provided some help but it was useless once it faded. The only lights they had were those of the street lamps, faint spots of light in the ever growing darkness. The sky took on an eerie tone of orange though the shadows seemed to be growing darker and more menacing by the minute. "Marik!" Odion shouted, his voice echoing off the brick walls. He could hear his voice bounce off the walls in deriding tones, mocking him. "Marik, where are you?"

"Blast it," Aaron cursed. "We've lost the boy. Do we have any idea where we saw the light?"

"I thought it was around here, somewhere," Sivya swore. "But I'm not very good at finding my place here. It's too big and crowded."

"Don't blame yourself," Odion reassured. "We'll find Marik soon enough, I hope."

"Well Odion," Aaron interrupted. "You better start hoping harder." A distinctive hissing sound was heard in the darkness and the three whirled to find monsters behind them. They were about eleven feet tall, with the lower bodies of serpents and tattered wings made of spun shadows, translucent and menacing. Their heads were wedged shaped and draconic, with a green magic seal embedded in their foreheads. Their golden blank eyes were baleful and full of hate. They wore matte gray armor of jutting spikes and sharp ridges on their upper torsos. Three wicked claws tipped each arm and extending from the vambraces on their forearms were thick blades. They hissed menacingly once more, saliva dripping from their protruding fangs.

Instinctively, Odion and Aaron moved in front of Sivya, shielding her from the monsters. "What in the name of all that is holy are _those_?" Aaron managed to ask, fear sinking into the pit of his core, making it difficult to speak. The monsters' golden eyes were memorizing, like a serpent's hypnotic gaze.

"I think those are Shadow monsters," Odion answered, trying to shake off the paralyzing fear. "If they are Shadow monsters, then they can be wiped out."

"I hate this "Shadow Realm" stuff," Aaron groaned, preparing his Duel Disk, recalling the last time he dealt with Shadow monsters. "But if this works, I'm buying dinner for all of us."

"Odion, look out!" Sivya screamed. Odion managed to avoid a last minute swipe by one of the Shadow beasts, the jagged claws tearing through his sleeve. Odion scrambled away, pulling out a card from his deck.

"Mystical Knight of Jackal, finish the monster!" Odion commanded. In a swirl of smoke, a tall well-muscled creature with the head of a jackal and wielding two punching daggers was summoned. The shadow beast hissed and slinked back away from the commanding knight, but as it began to slither away, the Mystical Knight of Jackal caught it with one hand and with the other, punched the beast in the gut, the punching dagger sliding just between two plates and into the monster's belly. The Shadow Beast screamed, an unearthly clatter that sounded as if the vary gates of the Shadow Realm were being opened. The Mystical Knight of Jackal would have none of it though and jerked the punching dagger out of the Shadow monster's gut, only to drive the weapon into the beast's maw and down its gullet, effectively shutting it for good. The monster drooped to the ground, to dissolve with the shadows.

Meanwhile, Aaron was busy attempting to fend off two of the Shadow creatures, all the while steering himself so that he formed a human shield in front of Sivya, who was essentially helpless. "I summon Tiger Dragon! Finish these "things" off!" A dragon with golden, tiger striped fur hovered over the Shadow monsters. With a swipe of its razor hooked claws, it managed to slam one of the Shadow beasts against a brick wall, sending dust and debris flying everywhere as it tumbled over a pile of garbage. It slid to the ground, dissipating into shadows like the other Shadow creature. However, the Tiger Dragon failed to take out the second one and it managed to slide behind Aaron and towards Sivya.

It snarled and bunched, its coils ready to spring. when it did strike, it was stopped by one well placed swing of Sivya's staff against the side of its head. "Back!" She warned, holding her staff out in front of her like a sword. She swung again, the wood clattering against its armor plated head. The slithered back, shaking its head, trying to regain its bearings, only to be snatched by Odion's Mystical Knight of Jackal. Odion's monster wrested the creature from behind, jerking its head back. Mystical Knight of Jackal then drove its punching dagger through the Shadow creature's back and snapping its head. Like the other two, it dissolved into shadows.

"That takes care of that," Aaron said thankfully, his voice breaking the silence.

"I'm not so sure," Odion argued, watching the shadows move rapidly across the ground and from where the other two Shadow creatures were slain. They watched in horror as the shadows congealed and solidified, forming a new creature. It looked like a larger version of its predecessors, but with one clear difference: it had three heads instead of just one, towering over twenty feet tall.

"Hoo boy," Aaron remarked.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Come on deck, " Marik muttered, drawing his card. _"Give me something good—yes! _"It's the beginning of the end for you!"

"How so?" Gurimo sneered.

"Easy. First I sacrifice my Millennium Golem to summon my most feared creature: The End of Anubis!" A dark violet creature appeared, looking vaguely like the jackal-headed god of its namesake, with scythe like claws and bony protrusions from its back. The monster had 2500 attack points, but no defense points. "Then I activate my magic card, Mage Power, which powers up my monster 500 points for each active spell and trap card I have and since I have my Solemn Wishes card, he now has 3000 attack points, more than enough to take your monsters out. _Take the bait," _Marik pleaded silently. _"Take the bait." _

"That's it?" Gurimo scoffed. "_That's_ your plan? You're far stupider than I thought you were."

"Thanks," Marik said sarcastically. "It's nice to be loved."

"You won't be snide for long, I activate the magic card, The A. Forces, which increases my attack for my monsters by 200 points for each warrior on the field and since I have six, they increase by 1200 each." Marik watched as each and every one of Gurimo's monster's got a 1200 point attack boost. "Freed the Matchless General, attack his End of Anubis!"

"You just activated my trap cards!" Marik crowed triumphantly.

"What!"

"First I activate my Mirror Force trap card, which destroys all of your monsters on the field!"

"Not Freed the Matchless General. I activate his special ability to discard my A. Forces to save him from the effects of the card!"

"But not the other monsters," Marik reminded him, smirking as each of his monsters turned into dust as they suffered the effects of the trap card. "But that's not all folks, I activate my piece de la resistance, Magical Thorn, for each card you discarded this turn, you lose five hundred points."

Gurimo was at a loss for words as his life points dropped down to zero. _"You have disappointed me Gurimo," _ a voice echoed in his thoughts.

"No no no no! Please Master, forgive me!"

_"You have been forgiven once, but no longer!"_

"No!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Odion, Aaron and Sivya starred down the face of a monster, with three serpentine heads and jagged fangs, and tattered wings that seemed to made out of shadows. Blade like weapons extended from its wrists and arms, turning it into a living weapon.

"I summon Lord of D. to the field and activate the magic card, Flute of Summoning Dragon to being two dragons to the field: Genesis Dragon and Hyozanryu!" Aaron shouted, making an attempt to flood the field. One of the dragons was made of glittering diamond with a long horn extending from its head, the second, a red wyvern with a spiked tail. Now Aaron had three dragons on the field. The three dragons flew towards their targets, intent on rending the shadow beast apart.

Just then, the creature let out an unearthly screech from each of its three heads, sounding like tearing metal. It writhed and flailed about, tossing its three heads skywards. It slowly began to tear apart, like pieces were being ripped from its form, with the scattered pieces dissolving and melting away into nothing. Eventually the shadow beast disappeared, along with Aaron's three monsters and Odion jackal knight.

"That, was strange," Aaron remarked, the other two stunned into silence.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Gurimo screamed as the Seal collapsed in on him and he sank to his knees, pounding on invisible walls. There was a bright flash of light and the Seal faded, leaving a limp Gurimo, with vacant eyes. He collapsed to the ground, eyes closed. His bodyguard backed off and ran back down the staircase, fleeing the scene.

"Wait, what about Tshilaba!"

**W00T! First duel successfully written! *does victory dance* There was a _pile_ of research to make sure the cards were being used correctly, mostly because the anime skirts on some rules too and since I'm following continuity. . .well, you get the point. Admittedly though, there are only a handful of duels in the story, about four-five, actually, so really, the only thing a duel does in this story is expedite the plot, so that's good news. Children's card games for the win. :)**


	17. Chapter 17: Tangled Affairs

Chapter 17: Tangled Affairs

Bakura was the master of haggling, Tea decided, flopping down on her bed, her second mug of coffee in her hands; the boys with their poker game in the next room kept her up for most of the night, along with some certain thoughts. When they went to receive their room keys, the person at the desk had apparently decided that the guests of the duelists competing had to stay in the same room that the duelist was staying in, according to policy.

Which in Tea's case, meant that she would have had to stay in the same room as Yugi, since she was his guest.

Thankfully Bakura, seeing Tea flush at this realization, had stepped in and convinced the attendant to rearrange the rooms so that Tea would stay with Serenity, the only other girl in the group. _"I so owe Bakura for that one,"_ she thought.

"Tea?" Serenity said, jarring Tea from her thoughts as she sat back up, taking a sip of her second mug. Yugi's duel was during the second phase, so she had some time to unwind before running around the entire island, cheering Yugi, Joey and Bakura on.

"Hmmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Fire away."

"What if you were asked on a dinner date?"

Tea nearly spit out her mouthful of coffee and instead, started choking on it. Serenity ran over and patted her on the back, until she was no longer wracked by coughs. "What?"

"I was asked out on a dinner date," Serenity clarified.

"By Tristan?"

"No, and not Duke either."

"So, who's the guy then?"

"I met him on the night of the party. He's really nice and charming, and really cute too, with these big blue eyes. He has an accent too."

"Accents can be a bonus," Tea admitted. "What's his name?"

"His name is Valon."

Tea paused, the name sounding very familiar. Then, she remembered. _"Joey's going to blow a gasket if he finds out. _Oh, he sounds like a nice person." she cheerfully added.

"Tea, no offense, but you sounded too perky when you said that. Is something the matter?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I'm just happy and surprised for you, that's all."

"Tea, drop the act. You know Valon, don't you?"

"Well, him and Joey know each other," Tea admitted, trying to divulge as little as possible. "They were what you would call "rivals"."

"Oh, so like dueling rivals!" Serenity exclaimed.

"Yeah, something like that," Tea finished weakly. "I wouldn't go and tell Joey about your date though, he might be a little "upset"."

"He can deal with it." Serenity said, a little too curtly.

"That sounded angry."

Serenity sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. "I really love my big brother, but I'm eighteen, I can make my own decisions without him looking over my shoulder. That includes my choices about boys too."

"He's just trying to protect you. He cares about you and just wants you to be happy."

"I know that but sometimes, it's frustrating. Sometimes, both him and mom act like I'm still the sick little girl in the hospital, their little porcelain doll. Mom was worse than Joey though. Did you know that I was supposed to be at the Grand Prix to watch Joey?"

"No, I didn't."

"Well, I was going there to surprise him—Mokuba was helping with that—but then my mom had an absolute conniption _fit_about the whole thing and then forbid me to go, even though she said I could go originally."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"She made some excuse about schoolwork and household chores she needed done, but the point is, I can take care of myself, you know? It's just that nobody realizes it because they all knew me as "the sick girl"."

"I don't see you as that."

"Thanks." Serenity sighed again. "Sorry about that whole tirade, I just get frustrated and I don't really have anybody to talk to."

"Well, you can talk to me anytime."

"That means a lot. I love Joey, but sometimes, girls make better listeners."

"Totally."

Suddenly, Serenity got a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. "So, care to tell me why you turned all red when the lady at the desk said you had to share a room with Yugi?"

Tea turned red once again. "Let's no talk about that, shall we?"

"Oh come on! You can tell me! I won't say anything!"

"Um. . ."

"Tea, you're blushing."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be if you hadn't brought that up!"

"Oh, so there is something then!" Serenity crowed triumphantly.

"Um, I would hate to bother you," Bakura apologized, sticking his head in their room. "But the boys, and by boys I mean everyone but me, wants to start heading down to Yugi's field, since it is past ten thirty and according to the boards posted around the place, the duel is staring to head to its conclusion."

_"I'm going to buy that man a car,"_ Tea swore to herself. "Okay, we'll be there in just a second!" she turned to Serenity. "So, when's the dinner date?"

"Tonight around seven, I think. I don't have a way to contact him though."

"Well, there's only sixty-four duelists, plus their guests, and on top of that, the staff and whoever else in only the island. It can't be that hard to find him."

"You're still mad about what I said earlier, aren't you?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She strolled the hallways, thinking. Ishizu had easily breezed through her duel that morning, as she had the first phase; however, she wasn't thinking about the duel, nor about her next duel. Instead, her thoughts turned to her brother. Just fave days ago, he dueled a man known as Gurimo, who played an unusual card known as the "Seal of Orichalcos". What unnerved her was how the Seal was designed to steal a person's soul if they lost the duel, as what happened with Gurimo. What was worse though was that Tshilaba was involved with this Orichalcos, implied by Gurimo.

Other than the Shadow Realm and tools of the Realm, she knew of no other item to have the power to do so. She had thought originally that the Seal was merely another tool of the Shadow Realm, but during all her years of research, she had never heard of such a thing.

She shuddered at the thought, rubbing her arms, a moment of insecurity creeping up on her like a cold breeze. There was a taint in the air, one that few people seemed to notice, save she. She couldn't quite place her finger on what exactly was causing her unease, but she could feel it around her like a damp fog, leaving her on edge and wary.

Ishizu knew she had to do more research on this so called "Orichalcos", but unfortunately, she had no access to any of the Tombkeeper archives, due to the fact that she was hundreds of miles away on a tiny rock in the middle of an ocean. So, she thought, she would have to find another way to find out what exactly this Orichalcos did and its connection to Gurimo. She did some research on her computer, revealing that Gurimo once worked as an employee of a company known as "Paradias", though what exactly he did was unknown. Intrigued by Paradias, she continued her research, she discovered that Paradias once managed to require the majority of shares of a certain company.

That certain company known as Kaiba Corporation.

Of course, that meant dealing with a certain CEO, whom Ishizu was positive just finished up with his duel, taking place alongside her own.

Wandering down the halls, contemplating, her shoulder accidentally jostled into someone.

"Careful", the voice grumbled and she perked up, instantly recognizing the tone and timbre.

"Ah, Seto Kaiba, so we meet again." she greeted him, causing him to nearly stumble as he walked by her.

He turned around, mildly surprised, but quickly repressing the expression quickly, back to its veneer of barely contained superiority. "Ishizu Ishtar, I was told that you would be here," he relied. "Taking the place of your brother."

"So you've heard. Marik was unable to attend due to, "difficulties", shall we say."

"Shame, considering that he seems a better duelist."

"Mmmm, so you say, but if I recall, I nearly defeated you in a handful of moves."

"'Nearly', being the key word."

"Saved only by your own past."

"Don't remind me. It was nothing more than a hallucination."

"Is that you keep telling yourself all these years, that it was nothing more than a mere "hallucination"?"

"I don't believe in hokey ancient religions," Kaiba scoffed. "Now if you excuse me, I have business to attend to."

"And what business is that?"

"Matters concerning the procurement of sixty-four Duel Disk templates, violating KaibaCorp policy."

"Would those be the ones you and I are wearing right now?"

"You're smarter than you look."

"And you are far wittier than I remember you from last time." Ishizu smirked, a near identical reflection Kaiba's very own.

Kaiba scowled. "Hmph."

He started to leave, his coat billowing behind him, when Ishizu stopped him. "I was wondering if you would care to have dinner with me, tonight. I wish to discuss some things with you." He paused, a single eyebrow cocked at the request. "Or is Seto Kaiba too high and mighty to deign yourself to feast with the commoner?"

"I'm much too busy at the moment," he answered. No one had practically commanded him to have dinner with them. Usually, that was his job.

"Then you refuse a request then," she retorted. "I'll sweeten the deal, shall we say. A duel, without Midas' Duel Disks, of course."

"Flouncing the rules, are we Ms. Ishtar?" Kaiba smirked, bemused.

"You were never one to back down from a challenge."

"Very well then, you'll have your dinner." Kaiba said. _"And maybe Mokuba will stop pestering me about being more social,"_ he thought. He stalked away, long coat billowing behind him. Ishizu watched him leave, more confident than ever that Kaiba would answer her questions and maybe fulfill a favor or two in the process. It was one of Kaiba's weaknesses, to never back down from a challenge. She had to admit, from an objective point of view, of course, that he had finally grown comfortable in his own skin, slender as always, but more filled out in the face, giving him an almost classical set of features. He reminded her of the Roman Emperors, with strong features and proud eyes, not that it was a bad thing of course.

She made a mental note as she headed back to her room to wear a little black dress tonight, for the dinner.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So, do we actually know where field six is?" Tea asked Yugi, leaning over his shoulder.

"Well, it says that it's right over that way," Yugi pointed in the general direction, trying very hard to ignore the fact that Tea was very close. The island was dotted with dueling fields around the island, six in total, and each of them had their own little quirk, like the floating platforms that they had seen earlier. Joey was not looking forward to that duel. The island was also covered with trees, swimming pools and bungalows for the staff. In short, the island was a miniature paradise. Unfortunately, it made it for a rather convoluted island as well, making it difficult to get to places easily.

"You know Yugi, we haven't done anything to really hang out in a while," Tea mentioned.

"Well, you have been overseas in New York for most of the time," Yugi teased.

"I know that. We should do something fun while we're here."

"Like what?"

"I dunno, maybe hang out at one of the pools."

"Sounds like an idea, though I heard from one of the duelists that Midas has an arcade here."

"Ah Yugi, always with games on his minds."

"Just saying, but I wouldn't mind hanging out while we're here."

"Yeah, before something bad happens," Tea laughed.

"Don't jinx it."

"Hmph," Joey sulked, completely oblivious to Yugi and Tea's conversation. "Where are all the date orchards and what not? I'm starving."

"I didn't realize you liked dates that much," Duke casually remarked.

"I'm just starving."

"Dude, you ate like three plates of food at breakfast," Tristan said.

"_That, _ was a light breakfast," Joey corrected.

"I hate to interrupt, but I think we're almost there," Bakura pointed to a clearing up ahead, where two shadowy shapes stood, perching just over the trees like a pair of guardians."

"Must be one of Midas' goofy dueling contraptions," Joey muttered darkly.

"You really aren't looking forward to that duel, are you?" Serenity asked.

"No, not really. It reminds me of Battle City at the docks."

"Oh."

"Hey, who's dueling here, by the way?" Tristan said.

"I dunno, I forgot my paper."

"Um, I think we all did," Bakura said, somewhat chagrined.

"That sucks."

"Just think of it as a surprise," Serenity offered.

The group came to a halt as they entered the edges of the clearing, only to look up at the structures that seemed so out of place. The platforms, ringed from three sides by railings, were suspended about thirty feet above the air by four poles, with ropes holding the dueling platforms in between the poles. A gear box mounted on the poles indicated that the ropes holding the platforms could go up and down.

"Well well well, looks like we got an audience," A voice from the top of the platform said, heavy Australian accent puncturing his words.

"Valon,"Tristan grimaced, watching as Joey turned an unpleasant shade of red. Tristan did swear that he saw Serenity mouth something, maybe Valon's name, but he couldn't tell.

"Hello Yugi it's so nice to see you again!"

Tea gritted her teeth. "Vivian."

"Joey?" A woman shouted from across the field.

Joey's jaw nearly dropped to the ground in shock. "Mai?"

"This is incredibly awkward," Duke muttered.

"You have no idea," Tristan whistled.

"Since it look' like everybody's acquainted, let's finis' this duel, s'all we?" Valon grinned.

"I highly doubt you'll manage to pull something out," Vivian snorted. "_I _have the most powerful monster, remember? My Dragon Lady?"

"Rig't, my apologies, ma'am," Valon cheekily added.

"I'm not that old!"

Valon waved her off. "Let's see w'at this ole' gal can do. I sacrifice my Cannon Soldier and my Gear Golem of t'e Moving Fortress to summon my Ancient Gear Golem! T'en, I activate my magic card, Limit Removal, whic' doubles the attack of my monster. Ancient Gear Golem, wipe out Vivian's Dragon Lady and t'e rest of 'er life points! O', and did I mention t'at you can't activate any magic or trap cards until the end of the turn?"

Vivian huffed, watching as a gigantic golem, constructed of gears and slabs of rusted and tattered metal rise above Valon and the field, dominating the landscape. "Well, this sucks." Ancient Gear Golem lunged forward with a single fist and struck Vivian's monster in the chest, obliterating the warrior woman and bringing Vivian's life points down to zero. "And in the first round too-" she sank to her knees as she gasped for breath, hands trying to cling to the railing.

"What's up with Vivian?" Bakura asked.

"She's probably being over-dramatic," Tea replied.

"Vivian?" Mai called up. "Vivian! Are you okay?"

"I, I don't know-" she collapsed on the the dueling platform, unconscious.

"Vivian!" Mai screamed. She pointed to one of the officials that was on standby, controlling the gear box. "Get that thing down now! Now, you hear me! And get a medic!"

"What. . .what just 'appened?" Valon queried, seeing Vivian collapse.

The official turned the machine on, the platform running achingly slow as it was lowered to the ground. The other official pulled out a walkie-talkie and requested a medic. Mai was the first to see Vivian, grabbing the woman by the shoulders and shaking her. "Vivian, wake up! Wake up or so help me, I will slap you from here to next Tuesday. Get up Vivian!"

Yugi and the gang ran to her, not caring that they weren't really fond of Vivian. Serenity pushed them out of the way and knelt to Mai. Serenity said, placing two fingers to Vivian's neck. "She still has a pulse and she's still breathing but she's a little cold."

"So, what is it?" Mai asked worriedly.

Serenity shrugged helplessly."I don't know. I can't think of anything that would explain it. Keep her warm though," Mai nodded and pulled off her violet jacket and placing it on Vivian's chest like a makeshift blanket.

It wasn't until nearly five minutes later that medics arrived, putting Vivian in a stretcher. Over a PA system, a voice echoed: _"Field six has experienced an unfortunate delay. The ten minute time limit to clear the field has been expanded to twenty minutes. Thank you." _Mai went with the medics to stay with her friend, muttering things to the unconscious woman as she ran with them. Yugi and the gang, out of a mixture of curiosity and concern, tagged behind, praying for a good outcome. Valon was nowhere to be found, him having fled the field shortly after his platform was lowered.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It did not take the doctors long to have Vivian up in a hospital bed, with an IV hooked to her arm and monitors all around, watching for any serious drops in heart rate and brain activity. The attending doctor found it unusual that Vivian, with all her vital signs at normal rates, collapse like she did shortly after the duel. It was almost baffling to the physician. Mai for the entire time kept close to her friend, trying to make sense of what happened alongside the doctors. One of the nurses suggested that it was due to the duel, with its highly realistic holograms and almost real effects; the suggestion was mostly due to the fact that rumors had been swirling about advancements in Kaiba Corp technology, including a chip known as the "VR" chip, enhancing the dueling experience even further. It was dismissed though, mostly because Vivian had been dueling for years and had long since gotten used to the highly realistic images projected from the Duel Disks, plus the rumors about the mysterious "VR" chip were unsubstantiated.

Yugi and the others arrived shortly after Vivian had been settled, pushing their way through the throngs of duelists who wondered what had happened at field number six. The group kept a respectful distance from the room, hovering in the threshold of the room, partly out of curiosity and partly out of concern for a fellow duelist, even though they weren't fond of the woman and her antics, they were still worried about her state. To see her in the hospital bed silent as a grave with no signs of waking any time soon was disconcerting to them. It was like Battle City all over again.

Serenity spoke up first, hoping to break the uncomfortable silence that fell over the room, punctuated only by the beeping sounds of machines. "Do they know what happened to her?" Unlike the others, Serenity had never met Vivian and did not have the same view of her as the others did. To Serenity, she was just another person.

Mai spoke, but she was monotone, glancing down at her unconscious friend. "The doctors weren't sure about what exactly happened or why she even collapsed in the first place. I just hope she gets up soon."

"I hope she does too," Serenity offered.

Mai sighed, still looking downwards. "Thanks." The room fell quiet once again as Mai maintained her vigil. Realizing that they could do nothing more, Yugi and the others began to shuffle out of the room and back down the hallway before the officials disqualified Yugi for arriving late to the duel.

"Something about Vivian's "collapse" seemed awfully fishy," Duke began, echoing everybody's thoughts.

"Like what?" Bakura asked.

"There was something about it. It looked really familiar."

"Yeah, it's like Battle City all over again," Tristan snorted. "I knew Midas was up to no good."

"He didn't make Vivian collapse; Valon did." Tea added.

"I don't think it was even that," Yugi interjected.

"What you're defending the guy?" Tristan said.

"No, I'm just saying that I don't think that Valon knew that that was going to happen. I think it surprised him as much as it did us."

"I still think he might have known at least _something_," Duke insisted.He glanced over to Joey, whom had been silent the entire time, hoping that he would back up Duke's argument. "You've been quiet the entire time. What's up?"

"Hmmm?" Oh, I. . .I got go to the restroom. I think breakfast isn't agreeing with me," he added almost hurriedly, as if he didn't believe it himself. "I'll meet you on the field in a few minutes, okay? We don't want you to be late to your duel, huh Yug'?"

"I told you that three plates was a bit much," Duke said.

"Yeah yeah, see you guys in a bit." Joey made a 180 and ran back in the direction they just came from.

"I don't think that the bathrooms are that way," Bakura noted.

"I don't think he was actually going to the bathroom," Tea stated.

"You don't think?. . ." Tristan trailed off.

"It had to happen eventually."

**Yeah, I was totally lazy and did Valon's deck off a structure deck full of machine type monsters. BTW, Valon is one of the only two duelists on the island to run two decks. Mai is the second duelist, with a harpy and a amazoness themed decks.**

** Valon's second deck is a secret, but if you can guess it, I'll give you a cookie, well, a one-shot for you, actually. No joke. Just remember that I _do _have my limits when it comes to what I'll write, which includes no yaoi, yuri, incest or lemons.**

** Hint: It is an extremely important plot point in the story, and has been before.**


	18. Chapter 18: Reconcilation

Chapter 18: Reconciliation

His nerves were now in a flurry as he hurried down the hallway, praying fervently that his ploy to untangle himself from his friends actually worked. A part of him doubted that it did, but he had to do this. It was his choice and his alone. Not Tristan's, not Yugi and Tea's, not even his sister's, it was his. He took a cautious peek over his shoulder just to check if they were still there. They weren't and he let out the breath he was unknowingly holding. He crept down the hall to the hospital room, his shoes slapping painfully hard on the linoleum floor, echoing down the halls. He winched at the noise. When he got close to the room, he took a look inside, to see if she was still even there; a reconciliation doesn't work if there's only one person in the room and they're in a comatose state.

She had found a chair and sat down next to the hospital bed of her friend, her back turned to the entrance, her head bowed. Was she crying? He couldn't tell from his vantage point. He swallowed and knocked on the door quietly. She jumped in the chair and turned around, eyes widening in surprise. He gave a wan smile. "Hey," he coughed.

"Joseph, what are you doing here?" Mai didn't sound accusing or angry, just resigned.

"I wanted to see how you were doing."

"You were here five minutes ago."

"That was checking on Vivian. I'm here to check on _you_." he took a single step into the room and stopped, as if waiting for an invitation. When she gave no indication of wanting him to leave, he slowly entered the room. He took a sideways glance at the prone body of Vivian. "Anything?"

"Her hand flexed, I thought, but I think I was just imagining it."

He nodded and inched closer, placing his hand on the back of her chair. She didn't say anything at the gesture, but merely turned back around to keep an eye on Vivian. They were quiet for a few minutes, until Mai spoke, breaking the silence.

"Joseph, I'm so sorry for-."

"Stop."

"What?"

"You don't need to apologize. I already know."

"What do you mean?" she asked genuinely confused. "I, I don't understand."

"After the whole shebang, Atem,-I mean, the Pharaoh-told me what happened, how he got the Claw of Hermos from Raphael and how you fought Raphael with Hermos. I forgave you a very long time ago. If anything, I should be the one apologizing."

"What for?"

"I screwed up, bad. I should have been there for you when you needed someone to talk to. I was an awful friend back then and I paid for it. Besides," he paused. "You weren't the only one with nightmares," he added quietly, too quiet for her to hear.

"I think it's safe to say that we both blame ourselves," Mai chuckled bitterly.

"Maybe we should just start over then." Joey stuck out a hand. "Hi, the name's Joey Wheeler, Duelist Extraordinaire."

The gesture took her by surprise but she finally broke into a smile, the first smile she had the entire day. "I didn't think you meant literally." She shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Mai Valentine."

"Aren't you that one duelist that uses Harpies?" Joey teased.

"And aren't you the one who manages to pull magnificent victories out of who knows where?"

"Nice to see that someone thinks they're magnificent."

"I was joking."

"Harsh." What had once been a tense and fragile moment between them had started to melt away like snow at the onset of spring thaw. It was like the days before the fiasco of the Orichalcos and her duel with Yami Marik. "When's your duel, by the way?"

"I have phase six on field three, so not until later."

"I'm dueling on field three too, but I'm phase three. You know," he added. "You should come join us. I think Serenity and the others would like that."

"I'd like to, but you know, what about Vivian?"

"I'm sure Vivian will wake up soon and be back to her old self in no time, whatever her old self even is. I'm sure though, that Vivian wouldn't want you to be moping around her when you have a tournament to compete in."

"I guess." Mai suddenly flashed a faint smile. "I'd probably come back up here and find her upright in bed, watching her Bollywood soap operas and eating some sort of chocolate. That was why she wanted us to enter the European circuit, so she could gorge on all the European chocolate. And to flirt with practically every single European man she came across."

"That was what Vivian did during the KC Grand Prix."

"I know, she told me." Mai glanced back over to Vivian. "I think you're right Joseph. She probably wouldn't want me moping and sulking like this." She stood up from the chair, giving her friend one last glance. "Besides, we need to figure out what the heck happened to her."

"That's the Mai I remember!" Joey gave her a huge goofy grin, despite the severity of the situation. "Race ya?"

"Joseph, I'm wearing heels."

"That oughta give me an advantage then."

"Joseph! You get your butt back here right now! I don't even know where you're going to! Joesph!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Yugi frowned in concentration as he gazed down at his cards, then back up at his field. He had two monsters on the field, Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight and Dark Magician Girl, with two face down cards, one of which was Magical hats, the second was Spellbinding Circle; it was a tried and true strategy, one that he enjoyed using. He was down to twenty-five hundred life points, while his opponent was down to just a thousand. _"I hope Joey's alright,"_ he thought, knowing full what his old friend was probably doing. He looked down over to where his friends were watching, trying hard to fight off the dizzying feeling he had when he remembered he was standing twenty to thirty feet above the ground. He wasn't a fan of heights.

"Yuge!" Joey shouted, running across the way. "You can do it! Kick this guy's butt!"

"Joey! Will you stop running!" Mai shouted just behind him.

_"I guess he did do it after all,"_ Yugi thought, smiling to himself. Joey had a knack of being eloquent without actually trying to be.

Serenity's jubilant voice carried over the whirl of the platforms and his Duel Disk. "Mai!"

"Hey Serenity! Hey everybody!"

Yugi's opponent, rolled his eyes. "I hate to bother your happy reunion, but can we get back to the duel?"

Yugi flashed an almost predatory grin, his mood lifted somewhat despite the incident earlier. "With pleasure."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The day passed rather quickly for Tea's liking, maybe too quickly. Yugi easily swept through his duel with barely a scratch, swarming the field and eventually wiping out his opponents with Diffuse Wave-Motion after bringing Dark Magician back to the field using Dark Renewal. Likewise, Joey defeated his opponent after sacrificing his Red Eyes Black Dragon to summon Gilford the Lightning, who obliterated the field. Bakura did well, winning his bout as well as Mai. So far, all of their friends and acquaintances, including Ishizu, Seto Kaiba and Rebecca, advanced to the next round, making for an exciting round of battling the next day.

Tea flopped down the bed, feeling utterly exhausted. Serenity had already left for her dinner date with Valon, even though Tea was still suspicious of Valon's motives and actions. He probably managed to figure out that she was Joey's sister, making for an interesting showdown should Joey discover what his sister was doing right now. Tea had expressed her concerns to Serenity just before she left, Tea's fears heightened in the wake of Valon's duel with Vivian. The gang was still conflicted about whether Valon knew what he was doing and if he even caused the accident.

"What if Valon did know what he was doing when he ended the duel?" she had asked Serenity .

The normally gentle young woman's countenance took on a more serious and almost chilling expression, cold and calculating. "Then my brother will have more ammunition to use when he duels Valon in the tournament."

Tea still shuddered whenever she played the moment in her head. She sat upright, contemplating the bikini that she had splayed across her bed. She had wanted to ask Yugi to go swimming later, but he seemed tired after dinner and she reconsidered it. They still had most of a week to spend on the island, so why was she chomping at the bit to spend some time with him? Even her own conscious was betraying her. Growing up and spending the last four years away from Domino allowed her to figure out exactly what she wanted from life, including her own conflicting feelings about Yugi and Atem, the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. For years, she had been at war with her inner self, trying to sift through whether she was in love with Atem, who was now dead and gone, or Yugi, whom she was friends with since childhood.

She thought she had it figured out, but now that went with the wind. After four years, Yugi had grown a lot, shooting up six inches and losing the baby fat in his face, gaining fierce lines and angles in the process. His eyes still maintained that childish spark that they always had, but when he dueled, it was like he was once again, possessed—was that even the right word?-by Atem.

Some moments, she couldn't even tell who was who anymore, the two were so blended together now.

There was a knock at the door and she slowly got up, whatever thoughts she had now shattered like bits of glass. She was greeted by the most unlikely person she would expect.

"Mai, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I checked up on Vivian to she how she was doing, then I thought I would drop by and say hey before I got moody again."

"How did you figure out where my room was?" Tea sputtered, still wholly surprised at Mai's appearance at the door.

"I asked the receptionist, who distinctly remembers you because you had a issue about sleeping the in the same room as Yugi."

Tea turned a rapid shade of red. "It wasn't an issue, it just would have been you know. . ."

"Still have that unresolved sexual tension, I see."

"It's not. . It isn't. . ."

"Well, are you going to invite me in, or am I just going to stand here and watch you pull some spectacular excuse out of thin air?" she winked.

Tea sighed, somehow now grateful that Mai came when she did. "Fine, you can come in."

"Don't mind if I do." Mai seated herself in one of the large chairs situated in the room, but only after grabbing a coke from the mini fridge. "So, where's Serenity? I heard that she was staying in here with you too."

"She went out on a dinner date."

"Our little Serenity is growing up," Mai sighed theatrically. "So, is it Tristan?"

"Nope."

"Hmph, I thought he liked her. Duke Devlin then? I know he was gunning for her too."

"Not him either."

"Well, I don't feel like playing twenty questions with you hun, I'm _dying_ to know here. I need some sort of gossip to sustain myself."

"Well, if you must know. . ."

". . Dear Lord, it isn't _Kaiba_ is it?"

"No no no! She on a dinner date with Valon!"

Mai's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Valon?"

"Yeah. Apparently she met him at Midas' party."

"Somehow, I think going on a date with Kaiba would have been better. Joey doesn't know, does he?"

"No, thank goodness. I think he would have popped a vein."

" I think an artery would be more like it."

"Yeah, I think so."

Mai stretched her legs across one of the arms of the chair, making herself at home. "So what are your plans? Just going to sit here and twiddle your thumbs?"

"I wanted to see if Yugi wanted to hang out, but he looked so tired after today."

Mai pointed to Tea's bikini on the bed. "Does hanging out mean swimming?"

"Um,. . ."

"So, you didn't want to share a room with Yugi—which is totally understandable, by the way—but now you want to go on a late swim with the kid? Girl, you're sending mixed signals here. You gotta pick one or the other."

"I'm not sending any mixed signals here and for the record, Yugi was just as red as I was when the receptionist said we had to share rooms!" Tea defended herself.

"So he likes you back then huh? That should make the late night rendezvous even more interesting then."

Tea sat down on the bed again. "I need a drink now."

Mai smiled at the thought of Tea downing a tequila shot, complete with salt and lime. Why it was tequila, Mai could not fathom. "Should I get you one from the mini bar? The point is, you're both reasonable young adults, and you really oughta make a move before someone else does."

"Like Rebecca?"

"Rebecca Hawkins? That Rebecca Hawkins? Actually, I think Mokuba has the hots for her. When he wasn't cheering for big brother, he was flirting with her."

"How do you know that?"

"Vivian and I saw the both of them at the beginning of Midas' party. Mokuba was very smooth, much more socialized than his brother. Then Rebecca disappeared so I have no idea what happened there."

"That's because she found Yugi."

"Ah. So you really need to make the first move then. Yugi's grown up quite a bit." Seeing Tea's eyes flash, she added. "From a purely objective point of view."

Tea decided that it was time to turn the tables on Mai. "Yugi's not the only one, you know. From a purely objective point of view, of course." she added with a wink, a nod to Mai's earlier comment.

"It has been almost five years I've seen everybody, of course you guys have "grown up". Whether the guys have matured though, remains to be seen."

"Joey seemed pretty mature today."

"Well, he didn't swim across the field to punch his opponent in the face after that guy flipped the bird. I guess that's pretty mature."

Tea frowned internally. Mai was a much more difficult nut to crack than she initially thought. Had they had this conversation during or immediately after Battle City, then this would have been much easier. So, she took a different route. "You did miss the whole "facial hair fiasco" a while back. The boys decided to have a contest to see who could grow the best facial hair, Yugi included."

"You're kidding, right?" Mai shook her head. "I can't see Joey with a mustache or anything like that. It doesn't look right on the kid."

Well, she was getting somewhere, Tea thought. "Tell me about it. It looked awful. Duke won, needless to say."

"I'm sure. So, you decided to go on your little "date" with Yugi?"

"It's a little hard to do if you're hanging out here."

"Don't let me hold you back." Mai finished off her drink and tossed it in the trash. "I can leave if you want, though if I were you, I'd wear a white shirt on top of the bikini."

"Why's that?"

"Oh Tea hun, think about it." Mai laughed when Tea grew pink after a couple of moments. "But now that I think about it, maybe you don't need it after all."

"You just said that to embarrass me, didn't you?"

"Guilty as charged," Mai chuckled, stretching as she got up from the chair. "Well, I'll let you get ready for your little "rendezvous"." she teased. "Maybe I'll go swing by and say hi to the boys. Tell me all about it hun, I'm dying to know what happens. And tell me when Serenity drops by too." Mai left the room, leaving Tea alone once again.

"That's just great." Tea wasn't intending for her time to be Yugi to be well, what Mai had said, but now she was seriously reconsidering going to hang out at the pool. Maybe the arcade Yugi was talking about would be a better option at this point. _"No, Mai's right. If I don't do something, then somebody else will and I'll be kicking myself in the end."_ She had to sort out her feelings sooner or later, so why not tonight?

**Am I the only one who notices that Mai frequently calls Joey by his full name, Joseph? I think it's cute, actually, especially since I'm pretty sure she's the only one allowed to do it too. Serenity and Tea might be able too, but only if they're very miffed. LOL. Mai is also fantastically easy to write for, probably the easiest character. The hardest? Seto Kaiba. Not because he is one dimensional—which he is not-but it is difficult to write him without falling into the cliché trap hole, a one dimensional character who is an arrogant jerkface, which he isn't. He's also very difficult to write romantically too, much to my chagirn. :/**

** Another thing is that I think that like Mai, Joey suffered from nightmares as well, considering that he directly faced down the Winged Dragon of Ra, feeling the full impact of the blast, _plus_ the whole "you feel the pain of your monsters with that string thingy", I'm sure he had nightmares as well, but unlike Mai, he had a support system, people he could talk to.**


	19. Chapter 19: Business Arrangements

Chapter 19: Business Arrangements

**First off, who would have guessed that this would have reached a 100+ reviews? Not me! Thank you guys, so so so so so so so so much, for your continued support, encouragement and occasionally, a swift kick in the tuckus when I needed. I don't think I would have continued the story to where it is presently at (by the time of this post, I have reached nearly 30 chapters written thus far, with no signs of stopping any time soon)**

** Thank you, my readers, so much for all that you have given me. I can only hope that this story continues to live up to your expectations.**

Ishizu checked the clock on her cell phone, noticing that it was fifteen minutes earlier than she and Seto Kaiba had set for the dinner—she couldn't quite call it a date—to call it a date meant that both of them had to enjoy it, and she had the suspicion that Kaiba wasn't going to enjoy it. She tugged once more on the hem of her dress, just to make sure. She had gone with a black dress, one that went to her knees, but it was made of a huggy material that seemed to cling to her skin. The dress looked like it was hanging just off her shoulders, exposing her sun kissed skin to the world. Marik would have said it was the most revealing thing she had worn, but Ishizu considered it very modest considering what other people wore nowadays. A gossamer black shawl went over her shoulders, to keep them somewhat warm. Her hair was down and out of its confining braids and she wore just a touch of makeup, gloss on her lips.

This was just a business deal.

Marik would have disagreed.

Midas had designed the dining headquarters of his complex to be a series of miniature restaurants stringed together, allowing for one to browse through them, seeking the right place to eat; however, they were only opened in the afternoon. If one wanted breakfast, they either had to call for room service or go down to a large dining hall where breakfast was served on a buffet. Ishizu flittered through each of the "restaurants", her indigo eyes scanning for Seto Kaiba, knowing full well that he would have taken it upon himself to show up early, just to prove a point to Ishizu. She smirked to herself, it was as if Kaiba had a need to one-up her, a constant game of chess between them, or in her case, a game of _senet._

She found him in a corner booth of one of Midas' "restaurants", a cozy place with ambient lighting and a fully stocked bar, Ishizu noticed with a sardonic smile. He was typing away furiously away at his laptop, a half empty glass of a brown liquid next to his hand. His face contorted into various expressions as he worked, the stark light of the computer seeming out of place in the cozy brown and red tones of the restaurant. He was wearing his outfit from earlier, but he had removed his long coat, exposing the black turtleneck underneath. It seemed to emphasize his thing yet fit frame, complementing his black pants and boots. He was still wearing his silver belt. She greeted him, breaking him from his concentration. "Seto Kaiba."

He stopped mid-type and his eyes darted upwards, almost afraid to take his eyes off the screen. His face was full of stark shadows and highlights. "You're late," he scowled.

"Correction: I'm here fifteen minutes, therefore I am early and therefore, on time." Ishizu countered. The first move of the game had been made. "I see you have already bought yourself a drink."

"I don't drink alcohol while I'm working," Kaiba explained, jingling the glass, the ice cubes klinking against each other. "It's only a Coke. I did not know what you would like, so I didn't order you one."

"How considerate of you," Ishizu replied a touch of sarcasm in her voice. She seatied herself across from him. She suddenly reached across and slowly pushed down the lid of his laptop, enough so that he was eye to eye with her. "Let's remove all technology, just for tonight, hmm?"

He swallowed and Ishizu was tempted to let out a smug smile but decided against it. Her dress and outfit were proving more effective than she had originally realized. Clearly, Kaiba was not familiar with socializing outside of CEO banquets and formal events. He had no idea how to navigate in this realm. "Very well. If you would excuse me, you pressed the top on top of my hands, so I can shut this off."

"Very well." She removed her hand away and Kaiba flipped it back up, exiting from his current window and shutting the laptop off, placing it in a silver briefcase next to his feet.

A waitress, a young curvy woman in her late twenties, came by. "What can I get you ma'am?"

"Tea please. Hot tea."

"I'll be right out with it." The waitress left, flouncing a little, hoping to grab the young CEO's attention. Unfortunately for her, his attention was elsewhere, namely on the woman across from him, clad in the black dress.

He cleared his throat, trying to make conversation. It was the socially acceptable thing to do, especially with a beautiful woman sitting across from him—wait, did he refer to Ishizu as beautiful? He wondered for a moment if the restaurant's service had decided to switch the Coke he had ordered with rum instead. The can look similar, depending on the light. "You erm, you look very nice."

"Thank you Seto. Now to business." The waitress came back just as Ishizu was to open her mouth once again and set the mug of steaming tea, a small pot to couple it. Ishizu inclined her head in thanks and took a sip. "My brother Marik as you know, was unable to attend the tournament, so I took his place. He is pursuing a thief who managed to break into out home and steal some valuables: a pair of scrolls and a box full of valuable gems."

Kaiba leaned back in his booth, mildly intrigued but at the same time, disinterested."Why does this matter to me?"

"Because, last night, I received a phone call from him. The night before that, he dueled a man known as "Gurimo", who managed to use a card called the "Seal of Orichalcos", designed to steal the soul of the loser of the duel." Kaiba's face paled as she finished, struggling to regain his calm as she continued. "I did some research into the man "Gurimo" and discovered that he was once an employee of a debunk company known as "Paradias", which I then discovered that they had once bought out your company, Seto Kaiba, if only for a little while."

"Your point being, Ishizu?"

"I figured that you might know something about this Paradias company, but by looking at your face, I think you know more than your letting on. Tell me Kaiba, what exactly is the "Seal of Orichalcos"? Have you seen this before?"

Kaiba coughed once again, taking a sip of his drink. "I know some."

"Then tell me."

"What cost would it be to you?"

"It would help my brother, Marik, come closer to capturing the thief who defiled our sacred home."

"You said this was a business deal," Kaiba countered, leaning forward and lacing his fingers neatly, resting his chin on them. "Therefore I'm making it a business deal."

Ishizu scowled at the man sitting across from him and continued, "Very well, if you wish to be that way, I'll make you a deal: a ten million dollar investment of the Ishtar clan into your next project, no strings attached."

"Ten million dollars is a paltry amount that I deal with; however, I will make an exception on your behalf, if you answer me this: how does a clan who spent their life underground get that much money? I'm curious to know."

"The Isthars have had large amounts of gold and money back from the ancient days. My grandfather, who was a wise man, decided to start investing some of the money into business ventures, stocks and bonds. My father did not carry the tradition on, but my uncle, and eventually I, did. We have a net worth total of about thirty-five million dollars, and that is only what we have invested. We still have large amounts of money from the gold we have. We aren't just a bunch of Tombkeepers."

"And here I thought that your family was so strict in their ways to not even think about doing something like this." Seto smirked, clearly impressed. Ishizu was far more shrewd than he had originally assumed. If she ever decided to go into business, she would make a worthy CEO, the perfect balance of ruthlessness, intelligence and manipulation.

"The information, Seto."

"Very well then. Yes, Paradias was once involved with KaibaCorp, first only a few shares, then eventually buying out the company in some sort of twisted plan of revenge and control. The head of the company was a man known simply as Dartz. Thankfully though, with the swift and efficient dismantling of Paradias, I managed to regain control back of the company within a matter of days."

"That does not answer what I was asking for."

"I wasn't finished. Gurimo used to work for Paradias and the card he used was once standard issue of Dartz employees. Dartz was nothing more than a mad man with grand delusions and I'm surprised to see his former employees trying to capture what they once had."

"The ability to steal souls."

"I wouldn't necessarily say that. More like delusions of power."

Ishizu snorted, seeing through Kaiba's facade of half-truths and shoddy explanations. The man was clearly trying to explain away the supernatural like he had done all those years before. And here she thought he matured. There was no problem with embracing what could not be explained; there were plenty of things out there. Besides, to know everything would break a man, for not all truths could, and should, be explained. "There are things beyond your control, you know. There is no shame admitting there are somethings you cannot explain."

"I'm not explaining anything."

"You know than you are letting on."

"Then why don't you ask Yugi and his friends? I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you out."

"Because I don't need them panicking over something that doesn't concern them. Not yet, anyways"

"Really now? I'm surprised that you didn't go to them first."

"Not until I have all the facts. Plus, I need someone with a calm and collected head. Why do you think I went to you first before Battle City?"

"So you could convince me to host a tournament that I would be completely humiliated at?"

Ishizu chuckled. "You are a very shrewd man; however, we all have our own roles to play."

"Hmph. So tell me Ishizu, if you wanted this information, why couldn't do it yourself?"

"Like I said, I need all the facts and you had all the information I needed. Plus, you have far more advanced technology than I."

"You didn't need advanced technology to find out what you did."

"I wasn't finished," Ishizu countered, using the very same line that Seto said previously. "I don't have the capacity to break into a phone to track someone down."

"And I do?"

"You're Seto Kaiba, aren't you?" Ishizu smirked.

Kaiba mulled it over. It was true that he did have the technology to track down a phone, but whether it was legal to was a different matter. But if he could break into accounts in the Cayman Islands, then tracking down the GPS of a phone was, to put it simply, child's play. "Where's the phone?"

"In Israel, at the moment. Marik is using the cell phone he scavenged off of Gurimo to track down the thief."

"So the thief and Gurimo are connected. Intriguing. Very well, I'll do it. I do need something to do for entertainment around here."

"I thought so, can you get it just by using a number?"

"I could try, I would have to figure out the carrier of the cell phone number, in order to track it."

"I will have Marik retrieve those for you."

Kaiba nodded. "Very well then."

"Would a simple "thank you" suffice ?"

"I don't say "thank you"."

"Of course not."

Just then, the very same waitress came by their table, two menus in hand. "I wasn't sure if you two were eating here, but I decided to bring the menus anyway." she said with a wink and a winsome smile. To Ishizu, it was clear that the waitress was trying to flirt with Kaiba, evident by the way she walked and talked. For some strange reason, it gave Ishizu an uneasy feeling, not that unlike jealousy. Even though she had never personally experienced the emotion—she had no reason to—she most certainly felt if now. It made her both distinctively uncomfortable, awkward and on edge simultaneously. Her, jealous over the way a waitress dealt with Kaiba? The emotion was beneath her, it _should_ have been beneath her.

But it wasn't.

Thankfully, Kaiba caught onto the motions of the waitress fairly quickly. "Thank you, but I don't think we'll be eating, unless you desire to eat?" he pointedly asked Ishizu.

"Perhaps," she graciously took the menus. "We'll call someone over if we decide to." The waitress momentarily scowled as Ishizu said "someone" rather than "you", but left anyways, a fake smile plastered on her features.

"Very flirtatious," Kaiba added as she left.

"I'm surprised you even noticed," Ishizu teased. "Menu?"

"Fine."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Valon paced, his nerves frayed and on edge, for many reason. It was his luck that the girl he happened to like was related to Joey. After the duel with Vivian, he fled, trying to distance himself from the events and the young, pretty red-headed girl. Why didn't it occur to him before? He had never thought of asking for her last name, but if he did, maybe he wouldn't have steered himself into this mess and end up where he was now. Her and Joey looked so much alike, in facial structure and minute mannerisms. He had dealt with worse though, and he found it awfully ironic that him and Joey would be fighting over something again. First Mai, now Joey's sibling.

Unlike the last time though, Valon was determined to win this time.

He had decided to wear a jacket and tie, though he dropped the tie—it was too complicated to figure out-, because that was the polite thing to do, right? At least, that was Raphael told him over the phone when he called him, frantic and agonizing over today's events. He didn't mean to knock Vivian into unconsciousness—that was why he swapped decks, because you don't hit women—but it just happened, and it frightened him. It was like the Orichalcos all over again. Either that or he was the Australian equivalent of one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, bringing bad luck wherever he went.

"Valon? Valon, I'm here," Valon froze, like a rabbit in the clutches of an incoming hawk.

_"Now or never, now or never," _Valon chanted inwardly. "'ello Serenity," he greeted cheerfully. "Over 'ere."

"Oh good. I didn't want to end up wandering around hopelessly lost around here, trying to find you." she said with a breathless laugh. She had opted for a pale pastel green dress that went down to her knees, paired with strappy sandals. Her hair was held in a loose braid, tied with a blue ribbon.

"T'at would 'ave been bad," Valon replied.

"You look nice. No tie?"

"Could never do ties. Wasn't taug't 'ow too."

"I could have done it," Serenity offered.

"Don' worry your pretty little 'ead about it. Ties are too stuffy. You um, you look nice too." he added awkwardly, tentative that he was even doing this whole "date" thing right. He hadn't exactly had very many opportunities to do so.

"Thank you."

Valon spotted a chair and recalling what Raphael had told him, led Serenity to the seat and pulling the chair out for her.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him when he did so.

"I t'ought you were supposed too," he replied, confusion crossing his face.

"It's the polite thing to do yes, but you didn't have to."

He shrugged; he was still going to do it anyway, much to future protests. "Oh, okay. I'm doing it anyways thoug'."

He sat down across from her, resting his head on his hands, watching her. He finally spoke. "Your last name's W'eeler, I presume."

"Yes, it is."

"Figured," he added with a laugh. "You two 'ave the same, whadya call it, face s'ape."

"Should I be flattered?"

"Well, you're muc' prettier than your brot'er."

"Thank you. And what's your last name, then, since you asked for mine."

" Tit for tat, huh? It's Hawke."

"It fits you."

_"Mother Mary thought so too,"_ he thought to himself, but didn't voice it. The girl didn't need to hear his back story. "So, s'all we order dinner?"

"That would be wonderful."

"Good t'ing we don' 'ave to pay, huh?"

"Very."

The pair ordered dinner, a steak and potato for Valon—he had declined the offer of salad, calling it "food fit for rabbits", while Serenity ordered steamed fish and a salad. "I don't see t'e point of that," Valon said in between bites, pointing to Serenity's salad with his fork. "Only rabbits eat t'at sort of t'ing."

"It's good for you," Serenity countered.

"But ya don' need it. Yer skinny enoug' as it is. I don' get why women eat t'at stuff. It's not fillin'."

"I like it."

"If ya want some of my steak, then you can 'ave it, if you want it. Muc' more fillin'."

"I'll keep that in mind." Serenity hesitated, her fork fiddling with her plate, the tines scraping on the ceramic. "Can I ask you something?"

"Fire away."

"Do you know what happened today?"

"I knew t'at was comin'," he replied. "Ta be 'onest, I dunno myself. It was weird, but I didn' mean to 'urt 'er. It just, 'appened, one minute I was playin' t'e card, an' t'e next, S'e's on t'e ground and everybody's screamin' and yellin', so I 'ad to leave. I was scared. _It's like the Orichalcos all over again,"_ he added silently.

She studied him coolly, calculative and Valon wondered if she was judging him and he braced himself, in case she decided to leave. She reminded him of her brother strongly when she gazed upon him like that, like Joey did during their duel, as he studied each in very card in his possession, determined to rescue Mai from DOMA. "I believe you," she said at last.

"Ya do?"

"Of course I do. I know you didn't mean for it to happen."

"I'm sure your brot'er thinks ot'erwise."

"I never did ask for his opinion. He doesn't even know I'm here."

"Really?"

"Really."

He grinned, elated that she believed the truth. "Well, t'en now t'at that's settled, who's up for dessert?"

**Gargh. Why is your accent so difficult to write, Valon? *frowns***


	20. Chapter 20: To Dance Upon Green Glass

Chapter 20: To Dance upon Green Glass

** Warning: A shirtless Marik shall appear in this chapter. Have tissues ready in case your nose starts bleeding, because who wants blood on their computers? **

The rain pounded at him, the shelter of the Orichalcos dome ripped away, leaving him drenched. The rain plastered his hair into a wet mess and his _kohl_ ran down his face in vicious streaks of sticky, blotted, black, leaving him, to put it mildly, a pretty hot mess. Marik knelt next to Gurimo, feeling for a pulse, and sighed in relief as he felt a faint one. Gurimo was breathing shallowly as well, but as Marik inspected him, there was an almost hollow quality to the man, like the husk of an insect, still there, but with nothing on the inside.

"The Seal must've gotten him," he added quietly, the cold rain pelting at his back. He bit back a wave of anger as he realized that Gurimo had given him nothing on Tabitha, leaving him as he was before the duel, bereft and clueless about Tabitha's whereabouts. He rummaged through the man's pockets, hoping to find something, anything, until his cold clammy fingers brushed up against Gurimo's cell phone. He lit up at the sight of the blocky, obsolete phone. It would definitely due at the moment. He slowly sat upright, pausing when he felt lightheaded; the duel had taken more out of him than he realized. Maybe the Orichalcos fed on life energy to sustain it, that was why it took Gurimo's soul; however, as magically sound his theory seemed, it probably wasn't likely.

The stone in his pocket jabbed painfully in his pocket, making him wince. He pulled it out, the sharp edges cutting into his cold and numb skin. The power held inside of that tiny stone frightened him, for it was a power he had never seen before, a miniature portal to forces unknown. At least with the Millennium Rod, he had a gateway to the Shadow Realm and he could focus the energies of _Duat_ and control them with the ancient device. Here, the power was raw, unfocused, primal almost, and Marik, for all his magic training, could not control such a thing. The Seal and the stone were too much of a coincidence, he decided. The stone was trying to control him.

He wobbled upright, clenching the stone, threatening to break it. It would not yield under his strength and he snarled, shoving it deep into his pocket, determined to be rid of it later. "You will control me no longer, you hear?" he shouted at the roiling rain clouds above, their underbellies the hue of the city lights of Tel Aviv.

"No longer!"

"Marik!" Odion's voice echoed across the flat pavements and the wall's of the buildings around them, sounding flat and strange, dampened by the rain.

Marik wanted to cry in relief as the sight of Odion, Sivya and Aaron ran up the iron wrought stairs. He hobbled towards them, exhausted. "I'd never thought I'd be so glad to see your mug, Odion!"

"It is nice to see you too." Odion spotted the unconscious body of Gurimo behind Marik. "What happened?"

"Well the nut job who shot up our hotel room lured me here to the other nut ball behind me and he challenged me to a game of Duel Monsters, only it wasn't like Duel Monsters due to the fact that he used a card called the "Seal of Orichalcos", which takes the soul of the loser of the duel. As you can see, he lost."

"We should get him to a hospital," Aaron remarked, eying the body. "Who wears a monocle any more?" he added, seeing the monocle.

Marik sunk to his knees suddenly and Odion was right beside him, catching him as he sunk down. "Thanks, that duel took a lot out of me."

"You need some rest."

"Among other things."

..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The police had already arrived at their shot up hotel room by the time the foursome had returned to the room and the unconscious body of Gurimo in tow; as Aaron had said, they could not just leave him there. They gave a description of the shooter and allowed the police to take Gurimo away in an ambulance, after wisely leaving out what had happened to the man. Once that had been taken care of, they went to a second hotel, one further away from the scene of the crime and on a higher level of the building, just in case. Like the last room, they had opted for a pair of hotel rooms with adjoining doors, allowing for easy access to and from each room.

Marik tossed and turned, unable to sleep, overheated and anxious. He was more than grateful for a normal bed in the first time since he left his home, but he could not become comfortable. Odion was snoring softly in the other bed, the only other noise in the room, but even then, the sound seemed muffled in the darkness. Aaron and Sivya were in the other room, though Marik speculated that after earlier events, Aaron was more than likely sleeping in the hall, his hand on his weapons and one eye open.

Growling quietly to himself, he threw the soft covers off of him and stomped towards the patio of the room, tossing off his shirt in the process, the piece of clothing landing haphazardly on the floor. There was something he had to take of, he thought to himself as he reached for his pants pocket, clenching the stone in his hand. He carefully slid the sliding door, striving to not wake Odion up. He stepped out onto the deck, breathing in relief as the air, cooled by the earlier rain storm, caressed his skin, even his rough, heavily scarred, back. He tilted his head up to the sky, watching as the storm clouds whipped back forth, colliding and shredding apart as the winds drove them east, like a shepherd with an errant herd.

He unclenched his hand, revealing the stone, the cause of his misery and nightmares. "Not any more," he snarled, lifting his hand up high, stone still in hand. Using his strength, he hurled the stone into the sky, over the city landscape. He saw a flash of green as one of its facets reflected a sign across the street, but he lost sight of it as it tumbled down back to earth, hopefully to be trampled upon by the unwary stranger of vehicle. "No longer."

He sagged against the railing of the deck, wanting to cry in relief. The source of his horrendous nightmares were at an end, to never return, he prayed. He hadn't had the nightmares since Battle City, preferring to deal with the dreams himself, despite Ishizu's suggestions to see someone about them. Then, the discovery of the stones and the box, and their theft shortly afterward.

He wondered if he hadn't discovered them, is Tabitha would had broken in and stolen them. Probably, he thought, she knew exactly what she had been after, as if someone had told her of their location before she went in. He frowned at the conclusion he just made. He had never told her of his ancestral home and where it was located; as a Rare Hunter, there was no point in revealing the bits of your home life. Nobody wanted to hear of your angsty, horrible, miserable past, so there was no point in telling about it, unless you wanted to be seen as weak.

He gazed out over the city landscape in a mixture of awe and cynicism. They were like sheep, milling about their lives, waiting to either be slaughtered or for someone to lead the way. They did not understand the magic around them, seeping into the pores of their beings, the explanation of the unexplained. They blindly believed in whatever people told them, rather than discovering the truth for themselves, something like Marik had done when he was younger, blindly following the traditions of the Tombkeepers without ever knowing why until he experienced the world above for the first time. From then on, he questioned, for not questioning led to agony and misery in the end, trapped by a destiny you didn't even make. His fingers unconsciously reached behind and brushed against the rough lines on his back, the hieroglyphics cut into his skin with a hot knife, the painful results of _not _questioning.

"Marik?" It was Sivya and Marik was amazed at how the young woman could have the best timing, or the worst—he was still deciding. She looked wide eyed and innocent, waifish even, standing on thepatio of the other hotel room, barefooted, her long hair hanging down. She caught sight of his bare chest and flushed, her eyes turning away and Marik belatedly remembered that he had taken off his shirt, even though he just felt the scars upon his back.

"Sivya, what are you doing up?"

"I thought I heard something outside, so I got up to see what it was. Now I see it was you."

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was that loud. You must have excellent hearing."

"Thank you. Having excellent hearing is a good thing when you're a goatherd, that way you can hear your goats, just in case, especially at night when the jackals are out."

"I'm sure."

"What are you doing up?"

"I got overheated, so I went outside to go cool off." It wasn't a total lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either. There were some things to be kept a secret.

"Oh. Marik, what's the "Shadow Realm?""

"Where did you hear that word from?"

" When Odion and Aaron were battling the serpent men. Aaron mentioned something about a "Shadow Realm" and Odion talked about "Shadow monsters"." she shuddered at the memory of the beasts. "It sounds very unpleasant."

Marik was at a loss for words, unsure how to explain the concept of the Shadow Realm without terrifying the poor woman. "It's a place, a place that's like...wait, that's not a good way to describe it. Have you ever heard of _Duat_?"

Sivya mused it over. "I think my father had once or twice, when he told my brothers and I stories about ancient Egypt."

"It's a place where the Egyptian people go when they die, before they're judged by Anubis and Thoth. I think the best thing to compare it to is Limbo of the Catholic Church. But _Duat_ isn't good nor evil, it's just there"

"But how could such monsters like that be created? They are an abomination."

"People can use the powers of _Duat_ for their own purposes. _Duat_ is a neutral entity, where the souls of the dead wait to be judged. It is in between and a person can utilize the powers of _Duat_ for good or evil. The people who create those sort of beasts are truly wicked at heart."

"But why is it called the Shadow Realm, if it is neither good nor evil? Shadows imply that it is dark and evil."

"Because the magic that comes from the Shadow Realm look like shadows. But not all magic is evil."

"Were Odion and Aaron's monsters magical?"

Marik leaned against the far railing in order to be closer to Sivya. "Yes and no. They were magical in the sense that they could be used to beat the other monsters, but they're also digital creations made by their Duel Disks."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Its hard to explain. . ." Marik trailed off, trying to scrounge for an adequate explanation that wasn't baffling. "Well actually, I don't think I really can explain it. At least not with becoming tongue-tied and confusing myself in the process." he laughed tiredly.

"I understand. Not everything is meant to have an explanation."

Marik started to head back towards his room, a bone deep weariness leeching into his bones. "I think I'm going back to bed and you should too. Good night." He turned to leave when he heard Sivya gasp and he flinched. She must have seen the scars upon his back.

"It's the scars, isn't it?" he asked, almost bitterly, with resignation. He heard nothing from Sivya, so he assumed she nodded.

"I didn't put them there, my father did, according to "family tradition."

"What father would do such a thing?"

"One as twisted as mine." he flashed back to the memory, with his relatives chanting in Ancient Egyptian while his father began to press the hot blade of the knife against the smooth, youthful skin of his back.

_"Please father, don't do this!" he begged around the white cloth shoved in his mouth. He struggled against the binds against his wrists and ankles, tying him down to the bed, preventing any extraneous movement to ensure that the markings were etched properly into his skin. Neither Ishizu nor Odion were allowed in the room, for even a comforting touch as he endured the horrendous ceremony. It was only him, his father, and the others hovering around them, chanting. Did his ancestors really do such a thing? Why did they? And did his father bear the scars too? "Please, please, please father! Don't do this!"_

_ His father sounded hollow and distant as he replied. "It is the tradition of the Tombkeepers. It has been our way for generations." He did not even apologize for what he about to do, mutilating his son. Form the corner of his eye, Marik could see the dark figures of the other Tombkeepers, relatives and distant cousins. The faces were obscured by the massive hoods on their heads, their bodies seeming larger due to the heavy cloaks and robes they wore. Marik began to furiously pray under his breath, to any god that would listen, but all he heard in his head was silence. The gods were nothing but man's follies and dreams, represented only by statues hidden away in alcoves, Marik realized that day_

_ He tried to focus his attention to something, anything to block the impeding knife, but it was no use. The hot metal of the blade pressed and began to cut into his skin and he screamed in agony, biting his tongue in the process, staining the white cloth red._

_ The sheets and the binds on his hands and feet dripped red with blood by the end of the ceremony._

"Marik," Sivya whispered softly, barely audible. "I'm so sorry." Marik turned his head and saw from the corner of his eye Sivya reaching out with one hand, as if to touch the ornate yet hideous scars on his back, while her other hand she kept close to her chest, her eyes wet, as if she were attempting to reach out and touch them. Was she going to cry? Was she upset because she saw the evil of people and what they would do? Why would she be upset at such a thing? They weren't her burdens to bear, they were his and yet, the mental image of Sivya actually _touching _ the scars brought a wealth of emotions welling in his chest and he turned his face hurriedly away, fighting against the burn to his face, the burn that was now rapidly stretching. The gesture was touching and highly personal, for him at least, for no one had ever shown him that measure of kindness and sympathy before. Yes, Yugi and his friends were shocked at the sight, but Marik surmised that that was out of pity, not sympathy.

They were two very different emotions.

"Thank you," he added thickly, his tongue cleaving to his throat.

"For what?" she sounded so innocent.

"For showing something other than pity." His fingertips grazed up against of the glass of the sliding door as his head hung heavy, his face still hot. "Good night, Sivya."

"Good night Marik."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

They left their hotel room the following morning, Marik getting the best night of sleep he had gotten in a while. Feeling refreshed, he informed Aaron and Odion of his plans with the cell phone, which consisted of waiting for Tabitha to call and then find a way to either meet up with her or to track her down using her cell phone number, like he had seen on crime shows. Unfortunately for Marik, Aaron was unable to find a contact willing to track down Tabitha's number without running the risk of breaking laws in the process and in the cases of some of his contacts, violating parole.

He then called Ishizu as he got ready, juggling his baggage in one hand and his phone in the other, informing her of the most recent events, including their newest tag along, Sivya, hoping that, in her infinite wisdom, help their plight. She seemed particularly intrigued at the fact that Marik had let her travel with them.

_"She seems like a lovely person," _Ishizu said, almost teasingly. _"I hope to meet her once this is all over."_

"If she decides to stick around," Marik replied, reaching for the cream cheese danish Odion was handing him. "She has brothers that are in Cairo at the moment, trying to find jobs."

_"If nothing happened to them during the uprising, especially if they were Coptic Christian, as you said." _Marik nodded in reply, not wanting to say anything out loud. Chances are, they had paid the price in the pursuit of freedom and Sivya didn't know, couldn't know, unless she went to go find them. _"Marik, you seem quiet."_

"I'm just thinking, that's all."

_"About what happened."_

"Yeah. I'm just trying to find another way to track Tabitha down, since the ring seems to be acting screwy in crowded areas. I was thinking of using Tabitha's number in Gurimo's phone to track her down, like they do in those crime shows, but there's a bit of a problem. . ."

_"You don't have the skills to do so,"_ Ishizu finished for him.

"Exactly."

_"Might I make a recommendation?"_

"Fire away."

_"I know of one or two people capable of doing such a thing." _she said and Marik could practically picture the smirk on her face. Whenever Ishizu was in the midst of planning something, she always seemed to smirk in the process. It was mildly amusing to Marik.

It clicked in Marik's head. "No. . ., how on earth are you going to bribe the man? Do you have pictures or something to blackmail the man with? He wouldn't do such a thing for you, no offense."

_"I'm sure he will."_

"You seem awfully confident," Marik remarked.

_"You have to be, in order to deal with him."_

"Says the woman who almost gave him a run for his money."

_"Tch, don't remind me. His past saved him, even though years later, he still won't admit it."_

"Wow, he's stubborn."

"I hate to interrupt," Aaron shouted, poking his head in the doorway. "But we have to get going."

Marik turned back to the phone. "I guess I better get going. I'll call as soon as I can."

_"Or I can just call you, once I manage to convince him to assist us."_

Marik snorted. "Good luck with that Ishizu. See you soon, sis."

_"Bye Marik."_ Ishizu hung up on him, leaving Marik oddly bereft and alone at the moment, already missing his sister. He grabbed his pack and began to rush out the door, right behind Odion and the others. Just as he did so, something in his pants pocket brushed up against his skin, cool with sharp edges.

He trembled and slowly reached into his pocket, praying. _"Please no, please no, please no. . ."_. His fingertips brushed against the object, the lines and shape of the item painfully, jarringly familiar. "No way," he breathed, equal parts shocked and frightened. Bakura had once told him of how his Millennium ring coming back to him inexplicably, whenever he lost it. But this, this was a whole new level.

How did it come back in the first place?

**While I would not normally not do this, because it is not the person I am, I am asking for those who are new to the story, who have either favorited or are following, I ask kindly for a review. I am very grateful that this story is gaining more fans than I expected, I would love to hear your opinions. As fellow writers, I'm sure you understand this. If you do, I will be very grateful.**

** Thank you for your time :D**


	21. Chapter 21: Of Lullabies and Magicians

Chapter 21: Of Lullabies and Magicians

** For those who were wondering, yes the Marik chapter was originally supposed to be before its previous chapter, but because it would have entailed spoilers of sorts, it was placed **_**after**_** the aforementioned chapter. I apologize if that last chapter seemed jarring and out of place. **

Yugi flipped through his card, determining his strategy for hit next duel, the pamphlet from earlier that day open and next to him. He sat a a table in the corner of his suite, hunched over, music playing in the background. His cards were scattered across the table as he thumbed through them, thinking. There was a small golden box on the table as well, the lid half off and the Eye of Horus seeming to perpetually gaze at him, judging each decision he made concerning his choice.

"You're always watching me, aren't you, Atem?" Yugi chuckled at the box. The box made no answer, as he expected it to, but at the same time, he almost wished it would, anything that would help him through this. The day had been trying, to say the least. It seemed eerie, how Vivian collapsed the way she did. It felt familiar, especially since Valon had been the one dueling her. He had heard about Valon occasionally the past few years, on some news or another about tournaments he had won. Valon had been one of the first duelists to become sponsored, meaning that companies paid him to compete in tourneys, as long as he promoted the company, usually by wearing an article of clothing with their logo or mentioning them in interviews. It was a lucrative gig; Yugi had been offered to become a sponsored duelist, but he declined, focusing on his studies.

"Now, should I add in Sage's Stone?" He wondered. "Or stick with Dark Renewal? Or both?" He fingered the cards, contemplating. His violet eyes glanced furtively at the clock, noting the time. It read nearly eleven thirty at night and the call time in the following morning was at nine. He thought of going to bed, but decided against it; he had work to do.

"You know, now that I think about it, I haven't seen Kaiba all day really." He knew that Kaiba had won his duel as well as Ishizu. Kaiba nearly set a record, defeating his opponent in three turns, without even the smallest dent in his life points. "I wonder what he's up to." He suspected that Kaiba was too busy investigating Midas, for the man had never appeared on their radars until now. It set off bells in his head.

There was a knock at the door and Yugi nearly jumped form his seat, startled. He had been so focused on his deck building that he completely shut off the outside world. "Coming!" He shouted at the door, ignoring the fact that he was only dressed in his black tank-top and black pants.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tea fidgeted at the door, nervous. She had decided against swimming that night; it had been much too brisk for her tastes. She probably managed to disappoint Mai somehow. At the least, she should toss the woman a bone, so to speak. Mai was always curious about her friends' doings, especially in the romantic area. _"Yet Mai won't even talk about her own,"_ Tea thought. How ironic it was, she determined.

She giggled as she spied a violet eye peering through the peep hole, looking much larger than usual. The door cracked open. She waved. "Hey."

He stammered a bit before replying "Hey Tea, what are you doing up?"

"I thought we could hang out. I noticed the light under your door." she paused. "I'm not bugging you, am I?"

"Don't worry, you never bug me," Yugi answered. "I was just working on my deck. You can come in, if you want." He opened the door even wider, and Tea spotted the fact that Yugi was wearing his tank-top. He noticed her starring and he flushed. "Sorry, I'll go and get my jacket."

She said, flustered, "Oh no, you don't have to do that!_ Oh this is just _great_. Mai's going to be __rolling when she hears of this. Well, _if_ she hears of this."_

Yugi led her in. "Here, I'll grab you another chair. I'm almost finished with my deck anyway._ Not really, but hey, I can get it in the morning." _ He dragged another chair across the carpet, placing it near the table. Tea took a seat, flipping it around so that she was resting her arms on the back of the chair. She inched it closer to the table, watching as Yugi started to put his cards away.

"Here, let me just finish this up here," he said quietly, placing the cards in the box. Tea stopped him with her hand, clasping it by the wrist.

"You don't have to worry about that," she said. "I don't mind watching you work. It's relaxing and kind of fun."

"You think so?" he asked, brief confusion crossing his face, mildly surprised at her comment.

"Yeah, it's kind of fun." she released his hand and he paused. She reached for one of the cards. "Maha Vailo, I remember this card."

"Yeah, I still have it."

"Didn't you say once that this card was the most like you?"

He was tempted to take the card from her, but decided against it, the memory bubbling up. It had been so long ago. "I might have. Why?"

"Just reminiscing. Do you think the card still is the most like you,even now?"

He mulled it over. "I'm not sure, actually. Maybe back from when I was younger, but I 'm not sure now." He decided to turn the tables on her. "Do you think it is?" he asked, smiling slyly.

She was taken aback. "Actually," she reached for another card. "I think this one is most like you now." She held the card up, allowing him to see.

"The Dark Magician? That's my favorite card, but I don't think it's most like me._ That was the card most like Atem."_

"Of course it is." she insisted.

"How so?"

She mulled it over. "Well, like you, it's strong." She began, placing the card back on the table. "But, if you give it the right cards," she pointed to Dark Magician Girl, Dark Renewal, and Mystic Box. "It becomes even stronger. Just like when your friends and loved ones are with you."

"Huh," Yugi picked up the card, as if seeing it in a new light. "I guess I never really saw it that way before. You have a point."

"Aren't I always right?" Tea leaned back in her seat and smiled.

"Well, you were when Joey decided to put those ghost chilies on his pizza."

"Ah, the night of the porcelain throne." Tea pulled a face. "Tell me again, why does he do those crazy things?"

"Because Duke dared him to do it? And that we're boys?"

"Well, you're a boy and you haven't done something _that_ crazy."

"I think I've done some crazy stuff, or did you forget those years in high school."

"That is a different sort of crazy. What Joey and the other boys do is a stupid crazy. There is a difference." She pointed out.

"And speaking of crazy, you know, I haven't seen Kaiba all day, since we boarded the boat."

"I know, it's like he turned into some sort of hermit, only emerging from his cave to duel."

"I think it is because of Midas weirding him out, especially since I heard that all the Duel Disks we received were Kaiba Corp template Disks, for companies to use for promotions."

"Midas is weirding us all out, frankly." Tea added. "There's something, not "right" about him."

"Well, he does wear a creepy golden mask."

"No, there's something else," Tea tapped her chin in thought. "Something really familiar about him, like we dealt with him before."

"Now that I think about it. . ." Yugi trailed off. "It feels like we_ have _dealt with him before." The thought suddenly chilled him; the more he thought of it, the idea of an old foe reaching beyond the grave grew more and more frightening, and disturbing. But which one? He had no idea where to start. Maybe if he found a way to contact Kaiba, he could at the vary least find some footing to get started on his "research". His eyes glanced at the clock. More than a hour had past since he began talking with Tea. The time had slipped by so quickly he barely had time to notice.

"Yugi?" Tea waved a hand in front of his face. "You're zoning off."

"Huh? Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Don't worry yourself over Midas yet." Tea said, echoing his thoughts perfectly. "Who knows? Maybe we're just a bunch of paranoid young adults and Midas is just one of those eccentric millionaires."

Yugi flashed a smile. "I hope so."

"Hey, I got an idea," Tea began, changing the subject. "Maybe we could go hang out some time tomorrow."

"That would be nice, actually. We haven't hung out in quite a while."

"Not unless you count all the Skype sessions," she joked. During her stay in New York and his in Egypt at the dig, they had set up respective Skype accounts, to keep in contact. Yes, the hours were unusual, trying to figure out the time zones, but it was worth the odd hours and occasional sleepiness after spending hours on Skype. Her eyes caught the clock. "Well, I guess it's getting late and you should get some rest for tomorrow." her hand slipped on top of his as she got up from her seat. "good night Yugi." she seemed reluctant to remove her hand, but eventually did so, slowly.

"Good night Tea." He watched as she left the room, his hand still tingling as she left the room. The idea of hanging out with Tea, just Tea and not the rest of the gang, made him smile.

And he could not, for the life of him, figure out why.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

_She knelt to the floor, on her hands and knees, agony ripping through her body and soul, pain she had never truly felt before. She watched through her mane of hair as her Harpy Lady obliterated in thousands of pieces like broken glass, the monster pieced by a single arrow._

_ "Stay on your knees, Valentine!" Raphael leered, the Seal of Orichalos emblazoned on his forehead, a brand of sickly green. "Like the traitor you are!"_

_ She struggled to stand upright. "Can't you see what the Seal is doing to you!" she screamed. "It's destroying you from the inside out! You've become nothing more than Dartz' lapdog!" _

_ "What's the matter Valentine?" Raphael sneered, his normally blue eyes a vibrant shade of red, just like his monster, Guardian Eatos, hovering above him like a guardian angel. "Is your love for Wheeler making you soft?"_

_ "Shut up! Shut up!" she screeched, her hands clenched. "You don't understand! The Orichalcos. . ." she trailed off, her vision now double. Was this was Joey felt, she wondered, when he dueled against her, that one last time? She fumbled for her next card. She gasped when she saw it: The Claw of Hermos._

_ Joseph's card._

_ "Thank you," she whispered. "I summon The Claw of Hermos!" The monster appeared above her, in all its glory. She smirked. "You're in for it now, Guardian Boy."_

_ Then, the monster bellowed mournfully and shattered into a million pieces, showering all over her._

_ "What. . What happened?" she said, forlorn._

_ "You aren't the true wielder of the card." Raphael explained, as if he were telling this to a child. "It won't work for you." he smirked. "My turn." he pulled a card. "Not as if I need it for my final blow. Guardian Eatos, wipe out the last of her Life Points!"_

_ The angelic monster aimed her bow at Mai-_

_ -and fired._

She woke up to a start, hand at her chest, as if she were trying to yank the arrow out of her chest. Her heart raced, the dream so vivid and real, it was like she was experiencing the duel all over again. "I haven't dreamed that in years," she mused. "So why now?" her other hand slowly released its vice like grip on the sheets and she hugged her knees in the absolute darkness. She turned to her left, where Vivian's bed was. "Vivian? Vivian, are you awake?" she paused, waiting for Vivian to mutter something under her breath, but wake up, nonetheless. She sounded like a frightened child, scared of the thunderstorm on the horizon.

There was no reply and as Mai's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that Vivian wasn't there. Mai recalled the day's events. "Right, I forgot." she felt adrift, lost at sea, a boat without an anchor, with no one to talk to.

Well, there was one person she could talk to.

She shook her head. That was a poor idea, to say the least. She knew he was staying with both Duke and Tristan, so that would never work.

She slowly got out of the bed and padded softly to a desk and chair, where her jacket was hanging. She pulled it on and walked out of the room, bare-footed, to her comatose friend in the hospital ward.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Remind me to never have a mini-party with Tristan, Duke and Bakura," Joey grumbled, stomping down the hallway. "They will clean you out." he had woken to a growling stomach and decided to take a look in the small fridge the room had. Unfortunately, all he found was a half full can of soda and a nearly empty bag of chips. Granted, he had helped the three clean out the refrigerator, he was still a little miffed that there was almost literally nothing left.

So, he devoured whatever was left in the bag of chips and decided to head down to the kitchens to see if he could make himself a midnight snack. Or, at the very least, he could find a vending machine and get something from there. For Joey, an empty stomach meant a poor night's sleep and a poor night sleep will lead to a poor performance tomorrow in the next round of the tournament. Something he did not wish to happen.

As he meandered down the hall, he was struck with an idea. "Hey, maybe I can go check on Mai's friend Vivian and she how she's doing." He smiled at the brilliant idea of his. Mai would like that, he thought and then paused at the way he worded it. "Eh, whatever." he began to make a beeline down the hall. Plus, if he recalled, there was a nice old Grecian nurse at the hospital ward who seemed to have an endless supply of pudding cups on hand.

Eventually, he made his way down to the hospital hall, a trip that was out of the way and rather lengthy, considering that the hospital ward was in another building. Thankfully, the residential building where the duelists stayed at was connected to the hospital "building", by a enclosed corridor. His feet slapped against the tiled floor, the occasional light on the ceiling on. "Should have worn shoes," he mumbled, looking down at his feet. They were probably dirty from the floor too, now that he thought about it. The floor didn't bother him though, it was how loud he was. He adjusted his jean jacket and roamed down the hallway, trying to remember Vivian's room number. He couldn't remember it off the top of his head—not that he was really paying attention—so he had to make do with peeking into nearly every single hospital room. There wasn't a single nurse around. The hall was as silent as a tomb and he wondered if there were any on staff, should some emergency occur. He suspected they were, but somewhere else at the moment.

He finally found her room, being the only open one at the moment. It struck him as odd, the room left open like that. When Yugi had to stay in the hospital overnight after the fire in the warehouse, the nurses had closed his door, but leaving it unlocked so that he, Tristan, Tea, and Grandpa Muto could visit.

He poked his head inside, seeing the faint light off the machines hooked up to Vivian. There seemed to be no signs of change from the woman, but he took note of something different in the room. There was someone else, sitting in a chair at Vivian's bedside, head tipped to one side. Curious, Joey quietly tip-toed inside. It was Mai, dozing off at Vivian's bedside, wearing a breezy tank-top and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. Her signature violet jacket was sitting on her shoulders, a make do blanket. For Joey, it was surprising to see Mai in something other than her white top, short skirt and knee high stiletto boots. It made her look vulnerable.

He went inside the room, looking for something to at least, cover Mai in, a blanket or something. She looked awfully cold in her current outfit. He began to rummage in each of the cabinets in Vivian's room, finding nothing more than hospital equipment. He opened the last cabinet, one up higher on the wall across from Vivian's bed. The door creaked loudly and he froze, watching to see if Mai would awaken, or worse, some nurse would come by and investigate. There were no signs of either event happening, so he opened the cabinet door slowly, one hand on the hinges, praying fervently that it would stop squeaking.

"Ah-ha," he whispered, for he found a mound of folded up fleece blankets, thick and plush. He pulled one out, quickly shutting the door, lest it creak even louder. The blanket he picked out was a pale cream color and very plush and soft. He unfolded the blanket and began to place it around Mai's shoulders.

The weight of the blanket made he stir from her rest. "Who's there?" she mumbled quietly.

"It's me, Joey."

"Joseph? What are you doing here?" Mai asked softly, groggy from sleep.

"I was heading towards the kitchen, then I thought I would check on Vivian for you, but then I found you sleeping here instead." he explained. "Here, why don't we get you back into bed."

"But. . " she protested softly, sleepy eyes looking over at Vivian.

"Hey, I'm sure that your friend here wouldn't want you acting like this. She'd want you to go out there in the tournament and win for her. And that means getting a good night sleep."

"Then why are you up?" she mumbled, half arguing, holding the blanket tightly around her. She knew full well why, since he told her, but he guessed that she, despite her torpid state, was trying to rile him. Typical Mai, he smiled

"It's a long story, remember? Better yet," he amended. "Why don't we _both_ get back to bed. We got a long day tomorrow."

She wanted to protest his reasoning, in spite of her sleepiness; it seemed ingrained in her character, but she decided to let it slide,just this once. "Okay,"

He helped her out of her chair, Mai still with the blanket around her shoulders like a cape. Joey could tell she was still sleepy, so he placed his hands on her shoulders to help guide her is she should stumble. He helped steer her out of the room and back down the hall. He passed the front desk, seeing a nurse playing solitaire on the computer there, taking no notice of Joey and Mai.

"Huh, guess there was a nurse here after all," he said to himself.

"What?" Mai asked sleepily.

He shook his head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

He finally led her down to the residential building, asking her for the number of her room. It was on a level higher than his, so they had to ride the elevator. The elevator was all but silent, quiet strains of typical elevator music playing. Mai yawned and leaned against Joey's shoulder. He froze, unsure what to do. The change of events were highly unusual, to say the least in his book. "We're almost there, Mai." he told her.

"I know," she mumbled into his shoulder.

Eventually, he elevator pinged open, the moment over. Joey guided her back to her room. "Got a room key?"

"It's in my pocket," she pulled out a hotel key and placed it in the door slot, the little light flashing green and unlocking the door. She opened the door slowly, but stopped halfway in the door. "Thank you," she said to him.

"Yeah, no problem," he said, hands behind his back.

She gave him a sleepy smile and went inside, closing the door behind her. Feeling that she was back into bed and hopefully not out for another night stroll, he too, headed to bed, his empty stomach forgotten. He could wait until breakfast.

Mai sat back in bed, the blanket still around her shoulders. It was so soft and warm, comforting her, reminding her of a lamb. She cuddled with it as she fell back to sleep rather quickly.

The dream did not disturb her for the rest of the night.

** For the record, Yugi's scene with Tea was actually kind of hard to write. It was going rather well, until I hit the line connecting Yugi to The Dark Magician. Then I drew a blank for about a week, trying to figure out how I managed to somehow write myself into that hole. Sometimes, they just write themselves, you know?**

** I like writing Peachshipping, but that part was a bit of a wall-banger. No authors were harmed in the writing of that scene, however, so you can rest easily.**

** And Polarshipping hints sprinkled liberally throughout this fic makes me happy :D. and hopefully you guys too. **


	22. Chapter 22: Game Change

Chapter 22: Game Change

He sat quietly, hands folded across his crossed legs, candles burning around him, their flames flickering softly as the wax dripped down. It was silent, save for the sound of his own breathing, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. This was his inner sanctum; not even his closest workers were allowed in here. He slowly opened one eye open, to catch a glimpse of the mask he had placed aside, the gold glowing with the fire. The firelight reflected on the metal inlay of the magic circle built into the floor of his inner sanctum, a twin to the magic circle he had in his yacht, save for one major difference. The entire circle, all three layers were constructed of the same metal, the variegated copper, laced with bronze, sometimes called "mountain copper". Once upon a time, back at the height of Atlantis' power, the Atlanteans invented the metal, calling it _orichalcum, _referring to the green stone that dominated their lives and caused their eventual downfall.

How ironic, Midas thought, thinking of it, running his fingers along the magic circle, feeling the power thrum in the metal, the vibration running up his fingers and up his arm. Even more so, considering that _orichalcum _ was in fact, the most receptive of magic out of all the metals in the world, even more than silver and gold, the mystical metals that composed of many gods around the world, including the Egyptian gods, whose flesh was of gold and bones of silver. To have even an ounce of _orichalcum_ indicated great wealth; to have an entire magic circle consisting of the metal was wealth beyond the imagination.

He did have nearly three thousand years to gather it all.

He frowned as he mulled over the previous days events over in his head. The Vivian girl had been the first casualty of the day, unfortunately; casualties were expected in a game with this high of stakes. The problem was that it came too soon in the game. That wasn't supposed to happen, not yet anyway. Midas began to wonder if they suspected yet. He doubted it; they were oblivious to the events taking place around them. It was a fortunate thing for Midas though.

He had to manipulate the game once more. He knew that eliminating them so soon in the game would not be a possibility; to make a move like that was an idiotic one, to say the least. If for say, they managed to defeat their opponents so soon in the game, his plans would be for naught and he would stand helpless before them. Just as in chess, the pawns go first, for their movements dictated the rest of the game.

He knew he had to eliminate the three soon.

Justice.

Wisdom.

Renewal.

They had to be gone, for they were the keys to his downfall.

So, he must make some changes to ensure this.

Midas smiled, his broken face, the horrifically scarred tissue, crinkling up in malicious amusement. He had always liked games, like his tournament.

Why he decided to offer up his island and personal fortune?

That was simple.

If all went well with his plan, he would have no need for such petty riches.

He would have the whole world on its knees.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ah breakfast, the best meal of the day!" Joey sat down, a tray full of breakfast items, seating himself purposefully in between his sister and Tristan. Despite having miniature restaurants dotted throughout his island compound, breakfast was to be served buffet style, in a large mess hall. The mess hall was exquisite to say the least, with Grecian frescos painted across the breadth of the hall, with ornate crown molding and large chandeliers, composed of thousands of Swarovskis crystals hung from the ceiling, painted a pale blue color, like the sky. At one end, across from the entrance, was a large upraised stage, taking up about a fifth of the hall. The gang had found themselves a large enough table near the entrance of the hall.

"I thought every meal was the best meal of the day," Duke retorted, pointing a piece of bacon at

the blonde.

"Well, they are." Joey muttered.

"Let's not tease him first thing in the morning," Yugi joked. "His brain may not compute it this early."

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be on my side!" Joey protested.

"It's too early for Yugi as well," Bakura said softly, his plate equaling Joey's in size. "He probably forgot."

"Hey, I forgot to ask, but why on earth did you disappear last night?" Tristan asked.

"I was getting a snack, considering that you guys pretty much cleaned me out." Joey replied, somewhat evasive. The reply was a partial truth, at the very least.

"For the record, you made yourself a pretty huge plate, if I remember right," Tristan argued.

"Yeah, but you still cleaned me out."

"Excuse me," It was Ishizu, holding a mug of coffee and a orange. "May I sit?"

"Sure," Tea moved over, opening up a space for Ishizu to sit; however, the kind gesture had made her sit even closer to Yugi. Not that either of them minded, of course.

"What's up?" Joey said, shouting across Tristan.

"I'm not quite sure, exactly." Ishizu said, peeling her fruit. "Strange portends, I think."

"You're getting the "creepy Midas vibe" too?" Duke asked.

"I think that everybody is getting the quote/unquote "creepy Midas vibe"," Bakura told Duke.

"You got that right," Joey grumbled.

Ishizu nodded. "Something is quite unusual with Midas."

"How is your brother doing?" Tea inquired, changing the subject, reluctant to discuss something so serious so early in the morning.

"Yeah, I heard that he was sick," Serenity echoed.

"Oh? Ah yes, he is doing better. He sends his regards to all of you." It wasn't a total lie. The time wasn't right to reveal the truth, not just yet. She did not wish to send them into a panic over something that could turn out to be a superficial fear in the end.

"So what's the schedule for today," Bakura began to pull out the brochure from yesterday, trying to make sense of the bracket system Midas set up, to discern who would be dueling when and where today and to plan out their day. "Oh bugger, this system is so confusing-"

"Oooh, I'm going to make Midas wish he was never born!" Mai fumed, storming over to their table, uninvited, her face dark with anger.

Joey held up his hands. "Whoa, who and what made you cranky today?"

"Midas." Mai slammed her tray down next to Serenity, sitting next to the younger Wheeler. "I went to go and check on Vivian today, and the nurses there said I could not see her, on "Midas' orders"."

"That is the most asinine thing I have ever heard," Serenity agreed. "Who would prevent somebody from visiting their friend in the hospital?"

"Midas, that's who," Joey growled, starting to get up, as if to confront Midas, until Mai reached around and tugged sharply on the back of his shirt, forcing him to sit back down.

"I can fight my own battles thank you very much."

"Yugi!" Rebecca's voice cut through the chatter of the mess hall. She was waving wildly, balancing the tray in one hand.

"What are we, the popular kids of the school?" Joey wondered.

"Who's she?" Serenity queried. She remembered her from the party, but she hadn't been formally introduced.

"She's a pretty famous duelist, The North American Champion, I think." Mai said, recalling the one time she met her, out in the field, Valon taking both her and Duke Devlin on. She prayed that the young girl would have the common sense to not bring that little incident up.

"And she's got a huge crush on Yugi," Joey teased, nudging Serenity in the side. "Much to Tea's amusement."

Tea tossed a bread crust at him. "I heard that."

"Hey Becky! Sit over here," Duke waved back. "Bakura, scooch over."

"Why do I have to move?" Bakura protested mildly, moving over. Rebecca sat in between them.

"I don't think I've met you before. Well, I saw you at the formal party, but I didn't meet meet you, if you catch my drift," Rebecca said, eying Bakura.

"You haven't," Bakura stuck out a hand, his annoyance at Duke dissipated . "I'm Ryou Bakura, but everybody calls me Bakura. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Rebecca Hawkins."

"And I'm Serenity, Joey's little sister."

"And now it's a party up in here," Joey said.

"That is an understatement," Mai said, looking down the table. "Should we be expecting any more guests?"

"Well, not unless Kaiba and Mokuba show up for breakfast," Joey said around a mouthful of bacon.

"Wait, I think they're over there actually," Serenity pointed, looking over the heads of Duke and Bakura. Sure enough, both Kaiba and Mokuba had shown up for breakfast, but the pair sat far and away from the other duelists. Kaiba seemed to be hunched over his computer. In truth, Serenity hadn't been looking for the Kaiba brothers, she had been searching for Valon; however to mention that would give Joey a near coronary, to say the least. After their dinner date, Valon, like a gentlemen—she guessed he had been coached in this somehow-,had escorted her back up to her room, and then offered to give her his phone number, scribbling it down on a napkin from the mini-restaurant, borrowing a pen from Serenity's purse. She had accepted it, of course.

"Guess they didn't want to eat with the rest of the mortals," Duke nearly sneered.

"Good morning duelists!" Midas crowed. He had somehow materialized from midair, only to appear on the platform in spectacular fashion. He wore a pale cream colored tuxedo of the highest quality, with a pale silver vest underneath the jacket and a silver tie. He wore his signature mask, the brilliant gold a stark contrast to the silver and cream, yet somehow he made it fit. In a change of pace, he carried a short walking stick, made of an greenish metal, with a orb of crystal mounted on the top. "I hope you rested well!"

When the crowd was silent, Midas continued, "I'm sure you're wondering why I have chosen to appear among you this morning."

"You got that right," Joey muttered darkly.

"I'm sure you know, that today is the next round of the tournament, where the field of thirty-two will be narrowed down to sixteen talented duelists. Of course, if some of you were smart enough to look, you would have figured out who you would be dueling today and when."

"Well, I was trying to figure it out," Bakura said, holding the folded brochure in his hands.

". . .But that would not be very fair, now would it?" Midas asked the crowd. "So, I've decided to change it up." There was a collective groan from the crowd. "If you will see here," he gestured behind him to a screen, dropping down from the ceiling. When the screen was where it needed to be, it lit up, showing the brackets. "I have decided to mix the duelists up and your times. After all, a duelist must be kept on their toes, no?"

Rebecca adjusted her glasses to see the screen, as a collective groan was heard. "I hate rule changes."

"Same here," Mai replied.

"So now what?" Yugi asked. Ishizu remained silent, studying the screen.

"We adapt, and win," Ishizu answered.

"Well, from what it looks like, Yugi and Joey are dueling at the same time, in phase one." Bakura pointed out. "And they're dueling Weevil and Rex, respectively." As he said the last part, two heads poked up from the crowd, one a pasty blue color, the other, brunette with a violet streak. "Then mine is in phase three."

Joey leaned back in his seat. "This round is going to be easy!"

"Who are Weevil and Rex?" Serenity asked.

"Two miserable cretins who used to be at the top of their game until Duelist Kingdom, when they lost. Now, they lie, cheat and steal to compete in tournaments," Rebecca snorted. "I wonder who they bribed to be in this tournament."

"High five Becky!" Duke cheered.

"So, how will we go about this?" Joey asked.

"Well, I think that some of should watch your duel, and some of us can watch Yugi's duel," Tea suggested. "I'm going to go see Yugi's duel."

Yugi flushed. "Um, thanks?"

"Then I'm going to watch Joey duel," Serenity offered. "What about you, Mai?"

"Well somebody has to keep Joey's ego in check, so I'll come see Joey's duel too."

"My ego isn't that big!"

"Yeah, Kaiba's is loads bigger." Tristan argued.

"I'm going to see Yugi's!" Rebecca crowed.

"Oh joy," Tea mumbled under her breath. Eventually, it was dished out; Tea, Rebecca, Bakura and Ishizu would see Yugi's duel, while Mai, Serenity, Tristan and Duke would watch Joey's. They got up up to leave in their groups, their breakfast finished.

"See ya in the next round, Yuge'!" Joey crowed.

Yugi's duel was taking place on field two,on a slender platform held by ropes, suspended over a pool. They were briskly walking over there to said field. After all, they were the first phase. It was nice out, with a few white innocuous clouds in the bright blue sky. A faint breeze wafted through the tress of the island, providing relief in the early morning heat of the sun. The water around the island glowed like molten gold, rippling with the wind. "Ishizu," he panted, getting her attention, keeping pace with her longer stride.

"What is it Yugi?"

"Marik isn't really sick, is he?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because, Marik has never been sick a day in his life, from what he's bragged to me."

Ishizu sighed. "You are much more perceptive than I thought. Marik is currently pursuing a thief."

"A thief?"

"Yes, one of Marik's old colleagues managed to break into our ancestral home and steal a pair of scrolls and a box full of emeralds."

"A box full of emeralds," Yugi whistled. "That is impressive. But what scrolls did the thief steal?"

"Two. The first is about the Library of Alexandria. The second was a more recent find, telling of Pharaoh Atem's days and a visitor he once had, bearing said gift of emeralds. I unfortunately did not get the chance to read more of the second scroll, to learn more of Atem's visitor."

The scene felt familiar to Yugi. The more he thought of it, the more it struck a chord with him. He would have to take some time to mull it over. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, indeed. I pray that Marik will catch the thief soon."

"Yeah."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He furrowed his brow in thought, studying the field before him. Weevil had managed to pull the DNA Surgery and Insect Barrier combination, turning Yugi's monsters into insect types, preventing them from attacking, all while having Great Moth on the field devastating his monsters. It was becoming very irksome to Yugi indeed, judging by the expression on his face. He had all three Knight cards' on the field: King's Knight, Queen's Knight, and Jack's Knight on the field, along with Dark Magician. None of them were very helpful though, considering that they could not attack the field. Besides, they were too weak to take on Weevil's Great Moth.

The field swayed with the slightest breeze, for it was a slender platform, about seven feet wide and thirty feet long, suspended over a pool of gently rippling water the hue of the sky above. Why Midas created these fields, Yugi could not fathom, perhaps to psych out the duelists, he surmised. He drew a card, the cheers of his friends ringing in his ears and he couldn't help but smile, hearing that Tea was the loudest of them all. "First off, I activate my magic card, Pot of Greed. This allows me to draw two more cards, and add them to my hand."

Weevil gave him a dismissive hand, sneering. "It isn't going to help you anyway. All you have are those Knight's cards and they can't attack me. They're affected by Insect Barrier, remember?"

"You, you don't need to remind me. I use my Dust Tornado trap card to destroy one of your Trap cards, and I choose DNA Surgery!"

"What!" Weevil screeched, watching in horror as his strategy was, literally, wiped off the field.

"And now I activate my second card that I drew: Polymerization, to fuse Jack's Knight, Queen's Knight, and King's Knight to form Arcana Knight Joker, who has more attack points than Great Moth, by the way. Now, Arcana Knight Joker, attack Great Moth!" Arcana Knight Joker was a tall monster, clad in gold and black armor, stamped with various patterns like spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts, and wielding a long sword, charged forward and swinging his sword in a downward arc, cleaved Great Moth in two. The moth exploded into thousands of pieces, each one fluttering in the air like dust motes.

"Now Dark Magician, attack and wipe out the rest of his Life Points!" Dark Magician, now free of the parasitic curse that prevented him from attacking, flexed his hand and grinned, his other hand spinning his staff deftly. He ceased the staff's movements and pointed the stave at Weevil, sending an orb of pulsating dark energy at him. Yugi watched as the energy crackled and exploded on contact, sending dark bolts of energy everywhere. Weevil's Life Points dropped to zero very rapidly.

The platform swayed violently, forcing Yugi to grip one of the handrails tightly. Weevil on the other hand, tried to cling onto as well, but his fingers lost their grip and he fell to his knees, looking pale. He collapsed to the ground. Driven more by fear than curiosity, Yugi ran across the platform and knelt alongside him. He shook his shoulder, but there was no response. He shook harder, thinking that Weevil might be faking it, but again, no response.

"What's going on up there!" Bakura shouted.

Yugi looked down at the unconscious boy and shook his head. "I don't know, I just don't know."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"You'll never get past my wall of dinosaurs Wheeler!" Rex sneered, his slight form dwarfed by the massive holograms of his monsters, namely Twin-Headed King Rex and Tyrant Dragon. The duel had been much more arduous than Joey had expected, battling dinosaurs and Rex's magic and trap cards at every step. Joey managed to remain one step ahead, but barely, his Life Points down to fifteen hundred. Currently, Joey had two monsters on the field, Red Eyes Black Chick and Gearfried the Iron Knight, in addition to three face down cards. "My Tyrant Dragon will wipe out your puny monsters and the rest of your Life Points!"

"We'll see about that," Joey grumbled, drawing a card. For the first time since the beginning of the tournament, Joey was dueling on a normal flat field, surrounded by thick groves of trees. The field had been so 'normal', Joey had been immediately suspicious of it, but so far, nothing unusual had happened yet.

"Come on Joey! Don't let this loser get to you!" Serenity cheered. "I know you can crush him like a tiny bug!"

"What she said!" Tristan reiterated.

"What Tristan, run out of motivational speeches to give to me?" Joey teased.

"Ah, shut it!"

"Be that way, let's see here," Joey drew his card, smiling at the results. _"Rex is going to get it now! _First off, I activate Red eyes Black Chick's ability: I can send it to the graveyard, to summon Red Eyes Black Dragon!" The smaller, younger version of Red Eyes Black Dragon vanished off the field. Then, A black dragon, with a slender, almost jagged form and glowing red eyes appeared in its place.

"Pfft! That's not going to do anything!"

"Well Dino-Breath, if you would pay attention, I'm not finished yet. Next, I sacrifice that to summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!" A wyvern came onto the field, with scales the shade of night, lines that look like magma dancing down its wings and hind legs, originating from bright gems the color of a heart of a fire.

"Can he even do that?" Duke asked, skeptical.

"Well, technically, he's not summoning anything, so he is able to do that," Mai answered.

Joey wiped away an imaginary tear from his eye. "They grow up so fast, don't they? And Red Eyes Darkness Dragon's ability is activated. Red Eyes Darkness Dragon gains three hundred attack points for each dragon type in the graveyard, which includes Red Eyes Black Dragon, Red Eyes Black Chick and Baby Dragon, which you destroyed earlier, if you recall. But that's not all folks! I got one last trick for you all! Nothing up my sleeve!" Joey tugged on both jacket sleeves to emphasize his point. "I'm sure you'll remember this card, Release Restraint! Now watch as I tribute my Gearfried the Iron Knight to summon Gearfried the Swordsman!"

"You got him on the ropes now Joey!"

"I love having cheerleaders," Joey joked. "Thanks sis! Now, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, take out Tyrant Dragon!" The black wyvern spewed a fireball of black and red fire. The fire collided with Tyrant Dragon's chest and the dragon was consumed in a gout of flame, bellowing in agony the entire time. "And Gearfried the Swordsman, take out Twin Headed King Rex!"

"That takes out the rest of my Life Points!" Rex cried, panicked.

"And congrats for stating the obvious! You win a new car! I'm kidding, you just lose the duel." Gearfried the Swordsman slashed and hacked at Twin Headed King Rex, taking off both heads in a flurry of movements. Rex gaped in horror as his Life Points plummeted to zero. The young man clutched at his chest, fingers plucking away at his shirt.

"What's happening to me?" Rex moaned, feeling weak.

"Well, you lost the duel," Joey stated. "You can quit the drama now."

"Joseph, I don't think he's faking it," Mai said.

Rex fell to the ground. "Crap, maybe he wasn't faking it," Joey mumbled, eying the duelist on the ground. Serenity went to him first, kneeling beside him and placing two fingers on Rex's neck.

"His pulse is good," Serenity reassured them. "And he's breathing shallowly, but he's not stirring."

Mai stood near Joey, hugging herself, worrisome. "It's just like with Vivian. It's like her all over again."

"Yeah, no kidding." Joey said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "What the heck is going on here?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was not unlike Kaiba to spend most of his free time hunched over a computer of some sort, furiously typing away, dealing with business matters that he felt his underlings could not comprehend, even though both he and Mokuba knew they could do probably quite well. It was Seto Kaiba's way, to be controlling over even the tiniest detail on a business plan or program he wanted to implement.

It was though, unlike Kaiba to spend his time for someone else.

It had been relatively easy to hack into Gurimo's phone, even more so when Ishizu had provided him with a phone number, courtesy of Marik. All he had to do was to find Gurimo's phone company and hack into it, placing a 'bot', a program created to place a 'tag' on Tshilaba's number, when she called in. Kaiba could then send the tag to Marik's phone, for he had one of those smart phones, and Marik could track it via GPS. The problem was that Kaiba had to make sure the process left no trace to any outsiders, to prevent any one from tracking his movements. It was a process that sounded complicated to outsiders, but not to Kaiba.

Once he had heard that Ishizu was in the same part of the building he was in for lunch, he immediately summoned her to inform her of the news.

"I'm not a worker of your household," Ishizu scowled, entering the small bistro in a huff, her hair, tied back in a braid, swoshed furiously from side to side. "I will not be 'summoned' this way."

"I solved your brother's problem," Kaiba leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, a triumphant smug, grin plastered across his face. He leaned forward and spun his laptop around, so that the screen faced her. "See?"

Ishizu sat down across from him and pulled the computer forward, studying it intently. "I wished I had my glasses," she muttered quietly, but not quiet enough for Seto to not hear. "Interesting," she told him, genuinely intrigued. "I'm impressed."

"As I knew you would be."

"You can wipe the smug grin across your face, or should I do that for you?"

"If you can defeat me," Kaiba pulled out his deck from his Duel Disk. "Your end of the deal, as promised."

"But of course," she slid her own deck out. "It should be much easier for me this time around, considering you no longer possess Obelisk the Tormentor." Seto scowled at the remark and she set her deck on the table. "Duel?"

Seto moved his computer off to the side, so that they had some space to duel. Midas said no outside duels with the custom made Duel Disks, but he said nothing about dueling without them. He cut his deck once then exchanged it with Ishizu's, as per the rules.

"Two more duelists collapsed today," she began idly.

"Really now?" Kaiba had heard of Vivian Wong, a duelist from China, falling unconscious after her duel. Rumors had spread like wildfire, one of which claiming that Kaiba had a new technology out celled the VR chip, making the dueling too intense for the woman. Kaiba immediately shot any one down who had dared to inquire about it with him or Mokuba. First off, there was no such thing as a "VR chip"; the company had no such intentions of creating such a device and if they did, the information would not be so easily accessible to the public. Second, he disliked being blamed for the incident and had threatened some of the more rude duelists with slander.

The situation seemed suspicious, leaving Kaiba with a bad taste in his mouth whenever he thought of it. It felt too familiar to him.

"Yes." Ishizu slid Kaiba's deck across the table. "Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood, were their names, I believe."

That was even more unsettling to Kaiba. He kept his expression up, an icy veneer, to keep others form what they were seeing. He took his own deck back and gave Ishizu's hers. "I see."

She drew her hand from the top of the deck and mulled them over. Her blues, like warmer reflections of his own, caught Kaiba's gaze. "You're thinking about something. You're frightened, aren't you?" She placed two cards face down and a single monster in defense mode.

"I'm not frightened," Kaiba scoffed. "I summon my Kaiser Sea Horse, in attack mode and lay two cards, face down. Besides," he sniffed. "Those two idiots couldn't duel their way out of a paper bag. Even Wheeler could beat the two of them. It is of no surprise to me that they fainted after their duels."

"They didn't just 'faint'. They haven't awoken from their so-called fainting spell." Ishizu said. "I switch Keldo from defense mode to attack mode and end my turn. You, refuse to believe that there isn't anything funny going on."

"And there isn't," Kaiba growled. "I activate my magic card, White Dragon Ritual, which allows me to ritually summon White Dragon Paladin."

"There is no shame in believing."

"You sound like a broken record."

"One that is telling the truth. Once upon a time, you admitted that maybe there was something to this "hokey magic stuff", to paraphrase. Why can't you believe now?"

"Because people change with time. I have White Dragon Paladin attack your Keldo."

"I activate my trap card, Mirror Force. White Dragon Paladin is destroyed and you lose life points."

"And I activate my trap card, Return from a Different Dimension. This allows me to remove White Dragon Paladin from the game, only to return it to the field my next turn."

"Very smart, Seto." Ishizu remarked.

"You should have known better than to challenge me to a game."

"Maybe, if I were some other duelist, but playing you, is admittedly an unexpected pleasure. Playing you is like playing _senet_."

Kaiba was surprised at her admission, She had no problems confessing to it. No one had ever told him that they enjoyed dueling him, just for pleasure, not even Yugi. He had to concede, it was a nice feeling to have.

Almost.

He watched as she drew her next card, studying her face for any trace, any evidence that would give away her next move. There was no perceptible expression, only of her biting her lip in concentration. She placed another card face down. "You know Kaiba, you don't have to be afraid of the unexplained. That is why it is called that. One cannot explain it. You apply logic to everything, every decision you make, every idea, every emotion, yet there are some things that you cannot apply your logic to, and it frightens you."

"As I've said, I'm not afraid."

She reached across the table, placing her card hand down as she touched his hand, the one resting on the top of the deck. "You can let go every once in a while, be free." she told him softly.

Kaiba gazed at her hand, feeling the calluses of the tips of her fingers and the ones on her palms. They were calluses that suggested years of hard work, of toiling for a cause that she no longer had to work for, yet she did anyways, because she fully embraced her past and familial traditions.

And by embracing, she could let go.

Something that Kaiba could never truly do, not even when he was alone.

"What if you can't?" he whispered back, almost harshly, even though he did not mean it.

"Then by admitting, you have begun to believe." she removed her hand away, leaving the elder Kaiba's hand with an unusual tingling feeling, spreading up his arm. The moment was over, like a spell being broken, or a delicate piece of glass.

_"That I have, if only for a short while,"_ Kaiba admitted, for the first time in over six years. "Should we continue the duel?"

She smiled, a ray of light in these times. "Yes, I would like that. It is your move, I believe."

**Kaiba, why are you so blooming difficult to write?! It's difficult enough to keep you IC at times, without making you to be some sort of one-dimensional coattails of doom jerk, and it gets even more difficult to give you depth and when I do, just a little teensy tiny touch. . .BAM! OOC-ness.**

** You drive me bonkers, Mr. Kaiba.**

** And in other news, yes, **_**orichalcum**_** is known as mountain copper. It was originally in Plato's writings **_**Timeaus **_**and**_** Critias. **_**If I recall off the top of my head, it was one of the metals that was used in the construction of Atlantis and exported the metal as part of trade, among other things. Some cientists believe that Atlantis was another name for the biblical city of Tarsish, Tartessos and other names along this line. Tarsish and Tartessos were famous cities also known for their export of rare and fabulous metals, which would make sense, to make this connection. Of course, since supposedly Tarsish was located in India, according to speculation reached by reading the Hebrew Bible and Tartessos was in southern Spain, this would mean that somehow, Atlantis was in two places at once, which it impossible. Physics tells me this, lol. **


	23. Chapter 23: Thorn in The Side

Chapter 23: Thorn In the Side

**Forgive me for taking this long! I have had the chapter written for a very long time; however, stuff came up and I was unable to update as I would have liked. It would have been updated earlier, but. . .you already saw my excuse :/**

Two days have passed, since Marik's little brush with Gurimo on the rooftop. Twice since then, at the deepest parts of night, when Marik knew that everyone was asleep, he would fling away the accursed little green rock.

And every morning following Marik's little venture, the stone would return to his pocket, leaving Marik without any explanation whatsoever. Marik had contemplated leaving his pants behind, more than once; maybe the bloody rock would stay then. He always had more pants.

The landscape of Lebanon flew on either side of them, in a blur of browns, dusty greens and grays, with the occasional settlement or ruins punctuating the otherwise very boring landscape. They had since passed through the country of Israel in a day and were almost already through the tiny country of Lebanon. Aaron had managed to retrieve a vehicle for them, one that Aaron had used plenty of times before during his missions as a Mossad agent. It was, according to Aaron, "his baby", as he slapped the door frame of the jeep. It was a denim blue color, or it would have been, if Aaron had washed the jeep every now and then. There was no roof, no back window, Odion had been surprised there had even been a windshield with windshield wipers. It seated the four of them rather comfortably, Marik admitted, plus there was room for their packs, tucked away behind the back seat under a forest green tarp, Aside from the occasional bump in the dirt road, the ride had been going quite smoothly.

Sivya was sitting alongside him, gazing at the sights and ruins around them. "I wish I could see them, in person," she began wistfully.

"They don't seem like much," Marik said.

"Maybe not on the outside, but this is where history began, of the stories my father told me, of David and Solomon, of the Twelve Tribes of Israel."

"Yes, indeed they are," Aaron interjected. He had been driving, following the directions Marik had given them, using the ring. "This, is where civilization began."

Marik was now outnumbered and outgunned. "I surrender then. They would be interesting to see."

"I told you!" Sivya giggled, sending butterflies in the pit of Marik's stomach.

"I think you lost this one," Odion laughed.

"You could have backed me up, you know."

"And what, miss you actually admitting that you're wrong? That is very unlikely."

Marik growled playfully and made a swipe for Odion, but he was limited in his movements due to his seat belt. "Sivya, can I borrow your staff for a minute? I need to take a swipe at my block-headed brother." Odion pulled a humorous face in the mirror, eliciting a laugh from all of them.

"What does the ring say now?" Aaron asked, effectively killing the mood.

Marik fished the ring from his pocket, purposefully avoiding the green stone. The ring hovered and spun, pointing in the same direction as before, northward. "Nothing new yet. I'll let you know if anything should change." he shoved the ring in his pocket.

"What about Kaiba's program?" Odion queried.

Just yesterday, Marik had received an email from Seto Kaiba. Marik had been delightfully surprised that Ishizu had convinced the man to help in their cause. He had been doubtful, now he was eating his words. Kaiba had sent Marik an attachment, with a program, custom made for their purpose, that if Tabitha should contact them, Kaiba's program would automatically activate, turning on a GPS program that would track Tabitha's movements using her cell phone. It was brilliant, more brilliant that Marik had originally expected.

"Nothing there either."

"Harrumph," Aaron huffed. "Figures."

"I'm sure it'll work," Siya offered, leaning in to study Marik's phone. "I know it will."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, but if there's anything to know about Kaiba, everything of his will work."

"Plus, Ishizu has him like putty in her hands, whether he'll admit it or not." Odion added.

"Heh, don't say that. They might actually, you know, date. And heaven forbid I'll have that man as our brother-in-law."

"Now you have jinxed us all." Odion intoned.

"I doubt that." Marik grew immediately interested in his phone.

"What are you doing on there now?"

"I was going to check in on Ishizu, but there's no signal here at the moment. So now I'll probably end up playing a game on here, like Angry Birds."

"Angry Birds?" Sivya tilted her head to one side, as Marik opened up the link to play Angry Birds. "They don't look very angry. They look kind of cute, actually."

"Well, what you're supposed to to is-"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He paced the stone floors of his underground home, in the common area where the Heads of the Tombkeeper clans would meet and mingle. He ran his hands over his bald pate, a tradition kept among the Imhoteps since the conception of the order. He was not wearing the traditional outfit of the Imhotep at the moment, bearing the traditional crook and flail. Instead, he wore a crisp, charcoal gray business suit with a bold red tie. Although he was the leader of a loose network of an archaic, venerable tribes, he was a shrewd business leader, straddling both the modern and the past.

And he was angry, feeling horrifically violated, and horrifically guilty.

When Ishizu had come to him, nearly two weeks ago, telling him of the robbery at the Ishtars' ancestral home, he was a bundle of emotions. He displayed an outward display of anger and rage, but at the same time, he was inwardly self-satisfied. The Ishtars and their ways have been the proverbial thorn in his side for years, ever since Marik had become erratic, fleeing their underground abode, taking with him the Millennium Rod and Odion, the ever faithful, if an outsider, adopted son with him. Then Ishizu had followed suit, bearing the Millennium Necklace. Things had only gone downhill from there. The Ishtars were threatening to leave the Tombkeeper clans, claiming that they had fulfilled their duty and were no longer need. And on top of that, The Ishtars were slowly but surely, releasing their ancient records and artifacts to the Egyptian government and whosoever cared to know.

It sent the Imhotep into an outrage, to say the least.

He was not expecting though, that ancient scrolls would be stolen.

That wasn't part of the deal.

Still plagued by feeling of restlessness, the Imhotep sat down in his seat, the traditional seat of the Imhotep, and intertwined his fingers, resting his chin on them. He was thinking, and thinking hard.

He was still in a deep state of contemplation when one of his family members came in, a phone in their trembling hands. "Master Imhotep?" he said tentatively.

"What? Can't you see that I'm busy?" The Imhotep snapped.

"I know that sir and I'm sorry sir, but _he's_ on the phone," the family member trembled.

The Imhotep's normally dark complexion paled. "Bring it here," he demanded. The man scrambled up and delivered the phone, scrabbling out of the room once his deed was done. "Hello?"

"_Ah yes, Imhotep, it has been a while, has it not?"_

"Don't remind me," the Imhotep growled into the mouthpiece. "Why I'm dealing with an outsider like you, I do not know."

_"You wish to get back at the Ishtars, remember?"_ When the Imhotep remained silent, the other end continued. _"And I did so. We both got something out of the bargain."_

"I was not expecting to have two valuable scrolls stolen from under my nose! Those were valuable documents!"

_"Don't rile yourself up, my friend,"_ the voice soothed. _"The scrolls are safe and unharmed."_

"That wasn't part of the deal."

_"Maybe not at first, but they are now immensely valuable to me."_

"I want them returned!"

_"And they will be. I already had Tabitha, my ever faithful servant, translate them for me."_

"You have someone who can read the hieroglyphics?"

_"Let's just say the Tabitha found someone who could do it for us."_

"Then I will have them back?"

_"But of course! I no longer have any need for them." _ the other speaker paused. _"I do find it interesting though, that you have made no mention of the stones stolen."_

"I do not rescind on my deals."

_"Yes yes. You are an honorable man, my Imhotep. I do though, need something more from you."_

"What is it?"

_"I need access to the Library of Alexandria."_

"No outsider has been permitted to see the Library!" The Imhotep shouted into the phone, his face turning an unpleasant shade of maroon.

_"I am no outsider, remember?"_

"I will not allow it!"

_"You have no choice. I need to find the three blades, and you're the only one who can help me do so. I need them! I need the blades!"_

"Then you'll have to find someone else to do so. I have already violated the most profound tenets of my order. If someone were to discover it, then I would be thrown out as Imhotep, my power stripped from me."

The other end was silent and the Imhotep wondered if they hung up, ending what was a terrible ordeal, stemming from a decision that he never should have made. Then, he felt it, a tightening pain around his chest, like a serpent was squeezing slowly with its coils. It was now becoming difficult to breathe, his vision going fuzzy around the edges as his brain was becoming deprived of oxygen. He gasped for air, trying to fill his lungs, one hand clawing furiously at the arm rest of the imperious chair.

_"As you can see," _ the voice cooed sadistically. _"I have the power, nay, the ability to kill you slowly and surely, from the comforts of my own home. You are helpless to stop me__ from doing this. After all, didn't you ban the practice of magic within the clans? Give me access to the Library, and maybe your family won't find you on the floor, thinking you died of a mere heart attack. You have been under a lot of stress lately, no? Either way, I will end up with access to the Library. In the end, you get to choose whether to be alive when I do so."_

The Imhotep gasped for air once more. "I yield, I yield! You shall have access to the Library!"

_"Good, good, I'm glad we have reached an agreement, aren't you?"_ The Imhotep placed a hand to his chest, the tightening feeling quickly receding.

"Yes," the Imhotep.

_"I thank you once again, for your services."_ The phone line went dead and the Imhotep blew a loud breath through his nostrils. He slowly placed the phone down on the arm rest, massaging the temples of his forehead in slow circles. His heart sank in his chest. Making deals with this man was like a Faustian deal of near monstrous proportions. He would rather go through the antics of the Ishtars once more, than to deal with the enigmatic stranger and his unusual ways.

What had he done?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A pair of vehicles sat on top of a hill, silhouetted by the night sky. The sky, blazing with thousands of stars, provided those who cared to look a fantastic view of the Milky Way. The area was bleak and dark, the landscape dotted with many hills and craggy areas, with minimal cover from the scraggly trees that were trying to dig their roots into the rocky region in search of sustenance. The area was perfect for someone to hide in for weeks at a time. The vehicle were black SUV's, newer models and veritable tanks on wheels. They were custom built as well, judging by the roofs, which opened up to allow a machine gun to sit. A small group of people sat nearby, five men and a woman, the men carrying both sub machine guns and shoulder harnesses, which held their side arms.

The woman was unarmed and considered beautiful, with a dark complexion and curly black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. If one were to peer closer though, one would see that a puckered scar ran down her face, marring her features. Her green eyes were cold and harsh.

"What is taking him so long?" she snarled, starring impatiently at her phone. She had been ordered to wait there on the hill, located just inside the border of Syria, by their master. Gurimo had been ordered to Tel Aviv, to put a stop to her former lover's actions. That was two days ago and she hadn't heard a word from the elder man since. Tabitha, formerly, Tshilaba, never did like the man. Gurimo was an idealist, firmly believing in their employer's beliefs. He was a fanatic, an extremist, in Tabitha's eyes. Fanatics never did last long in this business. They were too focused inward to truly focus on the outward. Marik was a man who managed to balance both, to keep the peace between his own personal desires and the desires of his organization.

She scowled to herself as his name popped up. He had been tainted by his family, urging him back to the fold like a wayward sheep. And he accepted, single-handedly destroying the Rare Hunters in a single move, checkmate on the chessboard of life. He had taken everything away from her in an instant: her life, her livelihood and lastly, their relationship.

And now, she was going to return the favor a hundred times over, until he fell down to his knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness.

And she wasn't going to give himeither of them.

"Perhaps Gurimo forgot about contacting you," one of the men offered. "He is quite old."

"Not so old to forget."

"His phone is quite obsolete. I'm sure that many here, including master, would consider him "old"."

"Gurimo may be an extremist, and a backwards senile fool, but he would never fail on a mission." Tabitha gazed down at her phone. "Maybe I should give him a little reminder, though, just in case he did forget."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was growing late when Aaron decided to pull over, off the dirt road, to set up camp for the night and rest. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find a clear and flat patch off the road. The sun had already set and the sky was turning into the deep plum of twilight. Marik yawned, fighting off the growing fatigue that had plagued him for the past few days. Odion was awake, watching the surroundings carefully, slightly paranoid since the incident in Tel Aviv. Sivya had fallen asleep, her head drooping and bobbing.

Marik settled into the seat of the jeep, eyes closing, when he felt something on his shoulder. Sivya was resting her head on his shoulder, eyes closed, mouth barely parted. She looked peaceful and serene, all the cares and worries erased from her face as she slept. She looked so innocent, Marik had to smile. It was amazing that innocence like hers could still exist in this bleak and dismal world. He shook his head, trying to shake off the tiredness. Eventually though, he caved in and his head rested against hers, content.

Odion smiled in the rear view mirror, watching the pair sleep. The past few days had been stressful, forcing them all the to breaking point. To see Marik sleep so peacefully gave Odion a content feeling.

"Cute, aren't they?" Aaron laughed. "It's like they were made for each other."

Odion mulled it over. "She seems to bring him peace," he finally said. "Something that Marik has been seeking for a long time."

"Aren't we all?" Aaron kept his eyes peeled. "So, do you think she suspects?"

"Suspects what?"

"About her brothers, with the recent uprising in Tahir Square. Even more so since they were Coptic Christians."

"I think so." Odion admitted sadly.

"It's a wonder really, how someone could live with such loss, and yet, keep pushing on." Odion could not discern if Aaron had been referring to Sivya, or Marik.

"Indeed," Odion marveled.

At last, Aaron found a safe place, a small clearing stashed away between two crags. It was about fifteen yards away from the left side of the road, in a place where one would miss with a quick glance. He drove the vehicle off the side of the road. "We can rest here for the night. I would suggest that we could set up a make to tent, using the tarp and the landscape, but I see that were down by two helpers." Marik was now snoring softly, head resting against Sivya's. "Should we wake them?"

"I would like to leave them there." Odion watched them using the rear view mirror. "If it is possible."

"Yeah, I could make it work." Aaron stopped the car and slid across the front of the car. He reached for the tarp that sheltered their luggage. He unfurled it and reached for a handful of bungee cords.

Odion watched him work,intrigued. "What are you doing?"

"Making a sort of make-to, lean to, camouflage sort of thing. My instructor taught me this during my training days." Aaron hissed as the bungee cord he was holding came undone, striking him in the arm. "Stupid pieces of, whatever the heck you are." Aaron turned to Odion. "Could I have some help, before these things beat me black and blue—ow!"

Odion laughed quietly as Aaron sucked on the bruise forming across his knuckles. "Are the little bungee cords defeating the big, bad Mossad agent?"

"Ha ha. Now shut up and help me."

Odion slid out of the car and with Aaron's help, stretched the tarp across the width of the jeep. With the bungee cords, they attached the edges of the tarp, which conveniently had metal rings along the edges, to the jeep, creating a wall of tarp, blocking their jeep from view. "Okay, now, let's find some brush, to make it look as realistic as part of the landscape as possible." Aaron directed, wandering the edges of the road, looking for some scrub brush. Odion followed suit, combing the opposite bank of the dirt-packed path that served as a road. About fifteen minutes later, they came back to the vehicle, large bunches of dried, prickly, scrub brush in their arms. Aaron arranged the scrub brush around the area and tarp, to disguise it.

"That looks very good," Orion admired their results. The jeep, shielded by the tarp, looked like it was part of the landscape. Aaron had even found some rocks, to not only pin down the bottom edges of the tarp, but to further obscure the jeep from unwanted and prying eyes.

"Not quite, a few more touches," Aaron muttered. He bent down, scooping handfuls of sand and dirt. He flung it at the tarp, the dirt and sand somewhat coating the surface. He did this a few more times. "Much better."

Just then, a pair of heads popped up over the top, Marik and Sivya peered down at the curious sight, of the tarp draped across, with scrub brush and rocks piled at the bottom with dirt splashed all over.

"What is that?" Sivya wondered.

"Well, it looks like what appears to be Arts and Crafts hour mixed in with some sort of Boy Scout activity." Marik observed.

Aaron playfully tossed some sand at him. "Oh, go back to sleep you two." Both of them ducked back behind the tarp, giggling to themselves. Aaron jerked a thumb at the pair. "Teenaged lovers."

"Indeed," Odion smiled, the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth highlighted.

"I'm twenty-two, for the record!" Marik protested.

"Notice how he didn't argue the other part," Aaron pointed out.

Meanwhile Marik and Sivya giggled behind the tarp, Marik shaking the sand out of his hair. The retired Mossad had an impeccable aim. "Did I get it all out?"

"I think so." Sivya gave him a quick look over. "Wait here, there's a little rock-" she reached to pluck a small rock that happened to nest in his hair. "There. I think I got it-" she paused, taking note of how close she was to Marik. She flushed a bright pink, the heat spreading to her cheeks, bridge of her nose and the tips of her ears. "Sorry," she added hastily, retreating.

"It's um, it's no problem," Marik said, bucking against the urge to blush as well. Thankfully, he was saved, when the phone in his pocket buzzed and vibrated. "What the-?"

"What's going on?" Odion ducked his head inside the jeep, crawling underneath to get back to their makeshift shelter, Aaron following right behind him.

"My phone is buzzing-" Marik went to pull the phone from his pocket, but found that it wasn't his personal one.

"Ishizu?"

"No," he pulled out the source of the vibration. It was Gurimo's black brick of a phone, vastly outdated in comparison to Marik's phone. "It's Gurimo's, actually." He flipped the phone to reveal a plain screen with the words "New Text Message" blinking at him. He fumbled with the buttons, trying to navigate the phone's menu. When he finally got to the message, his heart began to hammer in his chest and his face, cast in artificial light from the phone, expressed shock and astonishment.

"It's Tabitha.

"And she wants to meet up with Gurimo, well, me, in this case."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

**Dun dun DUHHHHHNNN! There are more twists and turns in this story than a Halloween corn field maze. Ha ha.**

** And The Imhotep was in on it all along. Who would have guessed? But then again, he sort of hates the Ishtar clan, because he dislikes how Ishizu is the Head of the Clan, plus, he dislikes their more, progressive ways, which is ironic, considering that The Imhotep is very skilled businessman. (He's a financier, BTW) He probably has issues with the fact the Ishizu is by all accounts, the Head of the Clan. He is a bit of a traditionalist on how women should act in their culture. Normally, Marik would be the Head, as per tradition, but because Marik went off the reservation, temporarily, so to speak, Ishizu had to fulfill his role while Marik was missing. Marik's infractions violated the tenets of the Tombkeepers and as a result, was stripped of the title. Ishizu, as the only true blood heir, had to take on the role. Odion could not, as he is not of biological blood.**


	24. Chapter 24: Rain on a Sunny Day

Chapter 24: Rain on a Sunny Day

**This chapter's title comes from one of my favorite songs, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?", by Creedence Clearwater Revival, or the Joan Jett one (Those two are my favorite versions, the original and the best cover). If you knew the real meaning of the lyrics, you'd get the gist of the chapter, but you'll have to learn about it if you do not.**

** And in other news—not that it is important really—I had to go in for surgery earlier this week. I'm doing better, but I still hurt a little :/.**

** Note: another thing is that Marik and the gang are in Syria; however, this takes place before the Syria uprising, towards the waning period of the Egyptian revolution, which has been mentioned a few times before in the story.**

** WARNING: There are scenes of a gun fight in this chapter. Please be aware of this. It is not overly graphic—it fits well into the prevue of the "T" rating, but it might be a bit squeamish for a few.**

If he could pace, Marik would, but he was currently confined in the back of a jeep that clearly had not been washed in a long time, not that the owner and driver cared of course. The previous night, he had received a text from Tabitha, on Gurimo's phone, demanding where he was and if he had accomplished his mission. Marik was at a complete loss, but in order to effectively track Tabitha's phone, and by proxy Tabitha, he had to keep the charade that he was in fact Gurimo, so he replied, making up some nonsense about some of the Israeli soldiers harassing him but he had defeated Marik. Marik was tempted to add that he, "Guimo", had found one of stones on his person, when he stole his soul; however, since it felt like Odion and Aaron were watching every move, every text, like a pair of hawks, Marik had decided against it. The information was enough to keep Tabitha satisfied, if a little miffed about his tardiness.

She had sent the next text, surprising the four away. "Meet me at the Seven Hills tomorrow afternoon, just inside the Syria border. Master will be pleased with the results."

And now, Aaron was driving the jeep like a mad man, making Marik eternally grateful to the person who invented the seat belt. He jerked and rocked back and forth in the seat, with only the seat belt to keep him from flying out of the vehicle and into a ditch somewhere. The sky was still the bright and cheery blue of the mid-day sky, a pale blue, with only a few clouds muddying the otherwise perfect firmament.

"I think I'm going to be ill," Marik remarked, hands white as they gripped the back strut of the jeep. His hair was in a pale blonde maelstrom, obscuring his eyes, making it difficult to see. The vehicle hit a large bump, sending all of them upwards in their seats. "Yep, definitely going to be ill."

"We're almost there, so stop your whining!" Aaron shouted, fighting the steering wheel of the jeep. "We just entered Syria now!"

"It doesn't look much different that Lebanon did!"

Aaron slowed the jeep down, driving the vehicle off the road and into a safe place. "What does the phone say?"

Marik looked at the location of Tabitha's phone, courtesy of Kaiba's little "gift". "We're not far from there, maybe only a few hours away."

"Good. I got an idea, but I need you, Odion to drive, in case something should go wrong."

"Like what?"

"Oh, like people shooting at us, freaky shadow monsters, that sort of thing."

"Sounds like another day at the office," Marik smirked.

"But in all seriousness, I need you to drive."

"Alright." As Odion and Aaron switched places, Aaron went around the back, grabbing a pair of binoculars from underneath the tarp. He took a quick glance at Marik's screen, to get an idea of exactly where they were to be heading to.

"That doesn't look so bad."

"I would hazard a guess as to what you're planning on doing with these, but I have a feeling that it is all a part of some crazy concoction of yours."

"No more insane than when you borrowed that guy's bike to chase after a pair of thugs."

"Touche."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Aaron instructed Odion to drive the vehicle slowly through the winding hills. He had pulled the tarp, so that it covered Marik and Sivya in the back. Aaron then managed to find some resemblance to a cloak and mantle, complete with hood, thanks to Odion's wardrobe. Aaron pulled the hood over his face, to shroud his features. He also found a baseball cap and sunglasses for Odion to wear, having the Egyptian keep his ponytail tucked inside the cap. From a distance, Odion looked a little like Gurimo's bodyguard, while Aaron looked a little like Gurimo himself.

Marik frowned, hidden under the tarp. It was an insane idea that the Mossad agent had, masking their features, until they close enough to either capture Tabitha or at the very least, come in contact, making tracking her much easier. He huddled underneath the tarp, hugging his knees close to his chest, attempting to remain as small an inconspicuous as possible. The tarp was creating a furnace, much to the distress of Sivya and Marik. It did not help the situation in that they were in a rather small space, generating body heat. All they had were a pair of water bottled with them.

Marik pushed back a sweat slicked bang from his forehead. "It's so bloody hot," he cursed softly.

"It is." Sivya reached for the water bottle and took a swallow. "I hope Aaron's plan works."

"I hope so too, as insane as it is." Marik took a final swallow from his. "Dang it, just ran out."

"Here, you can have some of mine," Sivya passed him hers and he took a grateful swallow, the water cooling his parched throat.

"Thank you." Marik hesitated for a moment, praying that the tarp muffled their conversation. They kept their voices to a whisper and their movements minimal, just in case Tabitha decided to post any guards on the way to Seven Hills. "Sivya?"

"Yes?"

"Can I—can I ask something?"

"What is it?"

"When this whole mess is over, what do you, I mean, what are you going to do-"

"Shhh!" Aaron hissed. "We're getting close!"

"What do you want?" Sivya asked, even quieter than before.

Marik shook his head. "Never mind, I'll ask later."

"Alright." Sivya sounded disappointed and Marik wanted to hit himself. He should have just asked.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tabitha paced back and forth on top of the hill, their meeting place. Gurimo was falling late again, something that Tabitha should have been used to by now. Gurimo was a selfish man and an ego-centric, thinking that the world revolved around him. She snarled in impatience, reminding her guards, sent to her by her employer, of a lioness, pacing the length and breadth of her cage. Her black hair tumbled back like a lion's mane, her green eyes feverish and eager. She wished that she could have dueled Marik herself, to make her victory over the former Rare Hunter even sweeter, but she would have to satisfy herself know that he would no longer be an obstacle to herself and to her employer's, who had grand plans with the green stones in the cedar box and the pair of scrolls. Her master had ordered her to find a translator, to translate the scrolls. She didn't have on on hand, but the local professor from a nearby university would have to suffice for a while.

She managed to get the first scroll, the one pertaining to Atem, the Lost Pharaoh, translated rather quickly, but then again, men could do all sorts of amazing things with a gun press to the back of their skulls. Tabitha e-mailed the results to her master, and was about to translate the second scroll when he informed her that he did not need the second one. He already had another source lined up and no longer needed the scroll. When she asked what to do with it, he told her to keep it.

"I would always love another piece to add to my collection," he had laughed, sending a chill down Tabitha's spine.

The professor was quickly disposed off. Loose lip sink ships, as the saying goes and a set of loose lips could sink an entire enterprise.

And now, Tabitha was on top of a hill, surrounded by seven others, hence, the name of the area, and marching back and forth.

"Mistress Tabitha, there seems to be a vehicle approaching," one of her guards informed her.

"Good, it is about time that that miserable excuse for a man to arrive. Hand me the binoculars," Tabitha snatched the binoculars from her guard and peered into them. Sure enough, a vehicle was approaching, a jeep by the looks of it, and a particularly dirty one at that. The driver looked to be one of Gurimo's bodyguards. He employed them like a man would exchange out suits. Gurimo appeared to be in the passenger seat, hooded cowl over his face.

She scowled. "Something doesn't seem right."

"Well, they aren't in one of our vehicles for one thing." the guard pointed out.

She glared at the much taller, bulkier man and he seemed to wither under her cold green gaze. "Do I look like an idiot to you?"

"Sorry, Mistress Tabitha."

She looked back into the binoculars and studied the jeep even more. The jeep did not have a back seat, with only a tarp to cover up most of the back area. The driver keep his head down, watching the road intently. That did not seem out of place. Gurimo however, did. Gurimo was simply too bulky and too tall, sitting in the seat.

She growled. "Marik," she growled quietly. The bodyguard in the driver's seat, now that the vehicle was much closer, and she could see the tattoos covering the left side of his face. "Odion." she turned to her guards. "It's an ambush! Get to the cars! Now!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Aaron swore sharply as he watched Tabitha and her guards jump into their cars, the black SUVs with openings in the roofs. "They're onto us! Drive Odion, drive! Drive!"

Marik flung the tarp off he and Sivya, their cover blown. He watched in horror as the cars raced down the hill, through a small canyon. Odion slammed his foot down onto the gas pedal and the jeep roared to life, practically flying over the rough road in their pursuit, ploughing deep into the canyon and after Tabitha.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tabitha snatched her walkie-talkie from the dashboard console of the SUV. "Black Two, Black Two, can you read me?"

The other line was scratchy, but audible. _"Black One, we can read you."_

"Good, I need you to give our little friends, a bit of a, shall we say, a gift?"

_"Right ma'am."_

Tabitha faced her driver. "Get someone on the guns and step on it!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Aaron clung tightly to the dashboard as Odion zipped and wove through the canyon, the stone walls towering over them. The SUVs were about fifty yards ahead, gas fumes in plumes behind them. The SUVs may have had the better technology and were considerably newer, bu they were slow and heavy, unlike Aaron's jeep, which was much lighter and faster than they. The jeep was making good progress and Aaron prayed that they would be able to catch up to them.

That was, until the closer of the SUV's roof opened and a machine gun emerged, like a beast awakening from its slumber. The machine gun's barrel gleamed in the light and the controller of the gun leered in excitement, swiveling the turret of the gun around, until it faced the small jeep. The ammunition belt feeding into the gun looked to drape down into the cabin of the SUV.

Aaron looked back to Marik and Sivya. "Get down, now!" he screeched, just before the guard at the gun let loose the first salvo of rounds. Odion jerked the wheel suddenly to the left, avoiding the first spray of bullets, which struck the earth next to them, sending a plume of dust and lead bullets into the air. Odion swerved to the right next, avoiding the next spray. A errant bullet struck the windshield, causing a spiderweb of cracks to spread. Aaron ducked, avoiding the round. The sounds of bullet fire echoed throughout the canyon, harsh and piercing. Sivya clutched her hands to her ears, trying to block out the noise , trembling visibly.

Marik reached over and held her tightly, whispering soothingly in her ears, ignoring the pain in his eardrums, that threaten to rupture from the noise at any second. "It's okay, it's going to be okay, I promise." she was like a quivering rabbit in his arms, but she appeared to calm, just a tiny bit, until the next spray of bullets tensed her up.

"I've had enough of this," Aaron said. He reached for the floorboards with one hand and with the other, pressed the pause button on the radio, simultaneously with the fast-forward button. A lid just at his feet opened up, revealing a compartment built into the floor of the jeep. He pulled out a black sleek service rifle, and a pair of spare ammunition clips, holding up to fifty rounds in each curved clip. He popped one clip in and shut off the safety. He peered down the precision scope and fired off a few shots at the offending jeep. The bullets managed to strike the back window and near the gunman, forcing him to duck and stop firing. Aaron continued the assault.

"God bless the Americans and their AR-15s!" he laughed, firing.

The drove through a narrow part of the canyon, where the was no way for Odion to avoid the bullets. The machine gunner leered, and pressed the trigger on the machine gun-

-but nothing was firing.

His face contorted into a menacing scowl and he ran his hands down the ammunition, determined to find the cause of the jam. Aaron seized the opportunity, firing in a burst fire, sending one of the rounds into the gunner's chest. He clawed at the wound, only to slump over in the seat, the machine gun ceasing to fire. The canyon fell into an uneasy silence as the gunfire stopped. Aaron took the opportunity to reach down into the compartment and pull out another ammunition clip, removing the now empty one from the gun. He clipped the second ammunition magazine and began to fire once more, the sound harsh and loud. He was trying to fire into vehicle, before another guard made the decision to replace the previous gunner.

Odion took the peaceful moment to try and drive past the SUV, but every time he moved to one side or the canyon to pass, the SUV would do likewise, blocking his passage. Odion scowled and muttered an ancient Egyptian curse word under his breath, as he was blocked once again, by the irksome SUV. Meanwhile Tabitha and the other SUV were getting further and further away. The canyon opened away at last to a hilly region , where the road twisted and turned around and through the hills. "Odion, when the road gets wider, I want you to try and pass the car," Aaron shouted, over the din.

"I've been trying to, but the SUV won't let me," Odion said through gritted teeth, clearly frustrated.

"Well then, we'll have to change that, won't we?" Aaron took aim and fired another salvo of rounds at the SUV and it swerved, trying to avoid the bullets. Odion seized the opportunity and pushed the gas pedal down as far as it would go, determined to get around the black car. The car caught on and moved to the left, cutting him off. Aaron then fired a series of rounds, and they shattered the back windshield, with one of the rounds fortuitously popping a tire. Another went through the back of the driver's seat and into the driver. The car careened wildly to the left and crashed into a pile of boulders, the gas tank bursting into flames. Odion drove around the wreckage, the scent of burning metal and rubber filling their nostrils.

They were though, through the misfortune of others, that much closer to Tabitha.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tabitha screamed in frustration as she caught sight of the wreckage of the other SUV in the side view mirror. Marik and his cronies were much smarter than she first thought, seeing the glint of a gun barrel in the hands of the passenger. "Faster!" she screeched to the driver.

"I'm going as fast as I can! This is as fast as it will go!"

"Then get someone on the gun!"

"Yes ma'am!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Odion tried to keep pace with the lead SUV as much as he could have. Aaron had since changed out another magazine clip, his cheekbone resting on the stock of the AR-15, the sleek black stock gleaming in the afternoon sun. He fired off a few shots, trying to hit the back windshield, or a tire, forcing a blowout. Unfortunately, all he was hitting was dirt as the SUV managed to maneuver out of the way of the rain of bullets. The roof of the SUV popped open, revealing a machine gun identical to the one from earlier. The gunner swiveled the gun around to fire at them, but Aaron had anticipated, firing off a slew of rounds, forcing the gunner to duck back into the vehicle. The bullets ricocheted off the roof and the polished chrome gun. Every time the gunner dared to peek up, to try and fire, Aaron would pop off a few rounds, restricting the man's use of the weapon.

"Any thing!" Marik shouted, over the bedlam. "Have we even hit them!"

"Some of the rounds have hit the roof, but nothing else!" Aaron replied, his words ripped away by the wind.

Then, one of his bullets struck the back windshield, shattering glass and sending the shards everywhere in a jagged rain. Odion swerved the vehicle to avoid the tires from running the pieces over. The SUV jerked from side to side as the driver strove to regain control of the vehicle and situation and Odion took the opportunity to gain ground, enough so that they were about twenty-five yards away.

"Now we're cooking with fire!" Aaron took aim at the back tires of the SUV.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tabitha shielded her face from the explosion of glass and blood as a stray round went through the back window, hitting the gunner, whom had been sheltered in the back seat, waiting to fire the mounted machine gun. The cabin was sprayed liberally with the man's life fluids, splattering everywhere in the confined space. They had no way to fight back now, unless she or the driver decided to take controls at the gun. Tabitha was not in the mood to get shot at, nor was she willing to risk her driver for such a frivolous notion. Her employer will already be upset at the fact that Marik and a handful of his lackeys destroyed one SUV, priced to be at the threshold of a cool fifty grand, plus how many guards that were killed by either gunfire or the fiery car crash.

So she decided to take matters into her hands. She reached behind her seat, pulling out a cord and her small laptop. She plugged one end of the cord into her cell, and the other into her laptop. Tabitha placed the electronics at her feet and reached back once again, this time, pulling out a duel disk, one that was the color of a sea green, and at the core of the disk, a blood red rose, with a faceted green gem mounted at the heart of the rose. She placed her deck, which had been resting in the pocket of her black leather jacket, in the duel disk and activated, the machine whirling to life, blinking lights and humming with electricity. She undid her seat belt and rolled down the window.

Tabitha could see the look of confusion cross the face of her driver. "Um, ma'am? What do you plan on doing?"

"Putting a stop to this child's play." she stuck her torso out of the vehicle and drew a card.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They were driving through a relatively narrow pass in between two hills, enough for only one car at a time to pass comfortably. From his vantage point in the back seat, Marik spied Tabitha emerging from her SUV, with a green duel disk strapped to her arm. He could imagine the smirk plastered on her lips. The tiny figure drew a card and held it up in the air. Aaron put down the muzzle of his weapon, curiosity overriding what would have been the perfect opportunity to end all their problems at that moment. The hills fell into an eerie silence, until Tabitha screamed at the top of her lungs, "I activate my trap card, Wall of Thorns!" The gem at the heart of the rose core glowed she she activated the card. The ground began to rumble, with large cracks and fissures spider webbing in the earth. The hills echoed with the sounds of the dirt being ripped apart. Large vines spurt upwards, studded with thorns over two feet long. More and more vines emerged, twisting and intertwining with each other.

"Avoid it Odion, avoid it!" Marik bellowed, waving about in the back seat frantically.

Odion spun the wheel in a wild fashion, the steering column spinning like crazy. The car did a sharp ninety degree turn, just as he slammed on the brakes. A singular vine, with the core of the plant as wide around as a large oak, blasted out of the earth just next to the jeep, sending a rain of dirt and dust on their heads. The car threatened to roll over as the ground underneath it shifted and buckled up with the force of the plant, but did not, much to their relief. The pass was now taken over by a thick wall of twisting and turning vines, thickly covered with thorns large enough to turn into swords. The pass was now impossible to traverse and Marik could hear the SUV on the other side drive off and get away, albeit with a broken back window.

Aaron, gun still in hand, got out of the car and wandered over to the wall of plants. He whistled with a reluctant admiration. "Impressive trap card."

"Yeah, she wields a plant based deck," Marik explained, getting out to stand alongside the Mossad agent. He reached out to feel one of the thorns protruding out at them but decided against it, seeing the width and length of the barbs.

"But how did she managed to summon the card in real life?" Odion wondered. " Especially since there was no Shadow Game invoked."

"I'm not sure, but I think I saw a flash of light from her duel disk when she activated it," Marik said. "Maybe that turned the hologram into real life.

"Now we're going to have to go around it, aren't we?" Sivya asked quietly.

"Unless we managed to either hack through it in a few short hours, or we burn it to the ground."

"Which will be a pain," Aaron injected. "Unless one of you guys are carrying a flame thrower."

"No, but I got some hair spray and a lighter," Marik offered.

"Why am I not surprised?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tabitha leaned back into her car seat, trying to avoid smearing tacky half dried blood from her hair to the seat. Blood was a pain to get out of leather, and hair. The wall of thorns and the subsequent car chase were now far behind her, the wall turning into a speck in the rear view mirror hours ago. It was now dark again and Tabitha had no desire to camp for the night, not with her enemy and former lover so close now. So, she had ordered her driver to keep going, until they reached a large enough city to find a comfortable hotel room. She reached down for the cell phone and laptop, undoing the cord from the both of them. She turned to her driver. "Pull over here." She gestured to a gully on the left hand side of the road.

The driver nodded curtly and pulled over. Tabitha got out, carrying her cell phone with her. The cord was used to copy all the data on the phone, storing it on her laptop, henceforth rendering the cell phone useless. She knew that Marik had found a way to track her, other than using the fool Gurimo's phone to trick her into believing that Marik was Gurimo. She had to get rid of the offending device and prevent him from ever finding her again. Using her strength, she flung the cell phone into the deep gully, observing with a smug grin as the phone bounced and shattered on the rocks on its way down. The plastic cover fragmented into numerous pieces and the delicate inner workings of the phone were lost among the plastic and metal carnage.

She wheeled around, picking her way back to the car, idling on the side of the road, clenching the jacket tighter around her.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The jeep managed to find another way around the plant wall, eating up valuable hours of their time, driving through the night, in an effort to keep up with Tabitha and the SUV. Odion and Aaron had been taking shifts at the wheel. Marik had wanted to as well, but both older men refused, stating that Marik was need to track Tabitha down. Odion was in the passenger asleep, nodding off. Sivya had done likewise, her face twitching from a dream. The phone tracking device was still working, much to their eternal relief. They had something going for them at the least. The ring was working as well, but it was not nearly as effective as the phone.

"Wait, Tabitha's car just stopped," Marik blurted out suddenly. "And it's not very far away either."

Aaron, who had been driving at the moment, turned his head to the heavens and praised the Lord. "How far?"

"Maybe a couple of miles away from here," Marik answered, lavender eyes intent on the artificial screen.

With Marik's guidance, Aaron drove to the spot where Tabitha was supposedly located. The area though, as barren and devoid of any life larger than the occasional lizard scurrying about. He turned the jeep off and Marik got out, using the phone like a detector. "I don't get it," Marik muttered, running one hand through his hair, a nervous tic he developed some time ago. "How can this be wrong? This is Kaiba Corp technology."

Aaron stepped out of the vehicle grabbing a flashlight, helping Marik seek out the source of the tracking device. He came across the ditch. "I think I may have found your phone."

"Where?" Marik ran over.

Aaron pointed down into the ditch with his flashlight, revealing scattered hunks of plastic and electric boards. "Everywhere."

Marik groaned and he flopped down in the dirt, head in his hands. "Now what?"


	25. Chapter 25: Grasping at Straws

Chapter 25: Grasping at Straws

He wanted to crow the second, nay, the moment when he uncovered the identity of the man who had bought, illegally, the vast number of duel disks, the ones designed to be a template for prizes and sponsorships. It had taken much longer than Seto Kaiba had expected, which initially frustrated him at first, but eventually, he traced the source back to a shell company, owned by a man named Victor Reznov. It would seem that the man behind the mask was indeed, Russian. Probably an oil tycoon, using another identity, Kaiba surmised.

"What did you find?" Mokuba, who was sprawled across the bed, spied the look of barely contained triumph plastered on his brother's face.

"I found the man responsible for the illegal purchases of my Kaiba Corp Template Disks."

"Cool," Mokuba managed to roll out of the bed, reaching for a drink in hand. He hovered just behind his older brother peering at the screen. As he read the name, he began to snicker, hiding his expression behind the top of his soda can. He did not wish to draw the ire of his older brother, who seemed to be going on a personal Crusade—which would probably last just as long as its namesake, should he not discover the identity right away—of the man who "stole" his disks.

Kaiba spun around in his seat, blue eyes narrowing, one hand still on the keyboard. He was not wearing his long white coat, much too hot for it, and wore a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt with a pair of black washed jeans, paired with his black boots and low slung belt. And the nerd herd said he never dressed "normally"-like Yugi ever really dressed "normally" with all that leather. "What is so funny, Mokuba?"

"The name, 'Victor Reznov'."

"What about it?"

"Remember those "Call of Duty" games you got me for Christmas last year?"

"Yes. . ." Seto Kaiba did not like where this was going.

"There is a character named "Victor Reznov" on the game. Midas stole the name from a video game."

Kaiba slowly turned back around, eying the name. Mokuba was deadly serious and Seto Kaiba was once again, without any leads. If the shell company was run by a man with a fake name, who is to say that Midas had, in fact, gotten someone else to buy the disks? He was now reeling, grasping at nothing more than false leads printed in binary on a flat screen. He scowled at the offending screen, shutting his laptop off suddenly, long pianist like fingers tapping a furious tempo on the lid. There had to be another way of uncovering Midas' identity, short of kidnapping the man and forcing him to tell (not like he hadn't considered that), but what? He was, for the first time in a very long time, short of ideas.

And when Seto Kaiba, CEO of one of the most prolific and profitable companies was out of ideas, it was never a good sign.

It called for drastic measures

So, he decided that he was going to take this so-called "vacation", Mokuba had forced him on; maybe it would allow him to recharge and conjure up some new strategies to conquer his foe. He was most certainly allowed to duel, according to Midas, maybe that could help recharge the "juices", so to speak. And speaking of dueling, as much as he hated to admit it, he rather enjoyed the duel with Ishizu form the previous night. It was one of the most difficult duels Kaiba had been in, for Ishizu managed to counter nearly every move, every attack. But in the end, Seto had triumphed, with a combination of the card Defusion, breaking his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon down into its original parts and having each on of his Blue Eyes attack her. It was quite possibly the most satisfying endings of a duel, in his personal opinion.

He went to grab his coat and started to leave the room. Mokuba tagged behind. "Where are you going, Seto?"

"Some place quiet. I need to think." He smartly exited the room, his coat tails swaying behind him.

The hallways of the residential building were blissfully quiet much to his pleasure, devoid of the mindless drivel of his competitors. He wanted to find a quiet place, to contemplate, without someone screaming nonsense in his ears, which sounded an awful like Wheeler, now that he considered it.

"We seem to keep running into each other," Ishizu greeted, walking behind him. The woman seemed to materialize out of thin air, according to Kaiba. "Hello Mokuba."

"What are you doing here?" he sighed in exasperation.

"I'm staying here as well, in case you have forgotten. Besides, I was just leaving the hospital ward."

Kaiba stopped, recalling that both Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor had fainted in the aftermaths of their respective duels. One would have been unusual, two even more so. And now three. . .There was no way that three duelists would go through such horrific ordeals. Battle City maybe, but he hadn't perfected the holographic technology then, so that was to be expected. Besides, he never really trusted the actions nor motives of Underwood and Raptor anyway. "As I have said before, they are probably just faking, in order to draw attention to their sad, pathetic selves."

"That was what Yugi and the others thought as well, until medical tests proved otherwise."

Now things were getting interesting. He quirked a single eyebrow. "Fascinating," he quipped. "Is that so?"

"Yes, I was there when Weevil Underwood, the duelist against Yugi, collapsed." An wave of unused to emotions rushed through Kaiba. It was an irrational expression of emotions, he determined, trying to squash the feeling, which left him confused. It was a needless emotion, he decided, quashing it.

He mulled it over. "How. . .unusual." he finally admitted.

"Yes, quite."

"Seto" Mokuba said, tapping his shoulder; he was tall enough to do that now. "This is starting to sound familiar. Remember the Orichalcos?"

Seto froze in his tracks and Ishizu raised an single, elegant, eyebrow, both of them recalling their conversation from the other night. "The Orichalcos?" Ishizu asked Mokuba.

"Yeah," Mokuba began before Seto could protest. "Those two decided to use the Orichalcos stone and Seal against Yugi and Joey, before they lost and lost their souls."

"There was no way to know if the actually "lost" their souls," Seto sputtered in protest, the bad memories rising like bile in the back of his throat.

"You did, for a little bit," Mokuba argued. "Don't you remember?"

_"I do,"_ he thought, but said nothing.

Instead, Ishizu did, telling Mokuba, "Marik dueled a man who wielded this "Seal of Orichalcos". Could these be connected, somehow?" Seto remained in stony faced silence, knowing everything that Ishizu was telling Mokuba had been told to him the previous night. When Seto had returned that night, after enduring some teases about his "date" from Mokuba, had decided to not tell his younger sibling of her revelations, to keep from alarming him and making this connection. Mokuba was intuitive like that. He would have made a very good chess player or Duelist if he had set his mind to it.

"The chances of that are highly unlikely," Kaiba scoffed, trying to diffuse the matter. "I could even calculate the probability, if you want me to."

"This is no laughing matter, Seto."

"Who said I was laughing?"

Ishizu frowned. "Come with me," she told him suddenly. She reached forward and gripped Seto Kaiba's arm, tugging him to get him to follow her.

"I don't like being touched," Seto managed to argue, but the Ishtar decided to ignore it, nearly dragging him down the hallway, towards the hospital ward. Knowing the woman was an immovable force once she set her mind to something, Seto managed to wriggled out of her iron clad grip and stomped after her. He knew that if he went back in the opposite direction, Ishizu would only go after him and drag him with her, no matter how much Kaiba kicked and screamed. Mokuba ran alongside them, exchanging sly looks with Kaiba's rather pouty and unamused expression.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"You know, this tournament is getting freakier and freakier by the minute," Joey began, looking down at Rex's comatose body, hooked up to wires and cords, just like Vivian had been. Both he and Weevil occupied the same room, in separate beds."I mean seriously, it's freakier than Battle City."

Mai repressed a shudder. "Don't remind me."

"Yeah, no kidding." Yugi occupied the only chair in the room, head in hands. He was being eaten up with guilt in the wake of his duel with Weevil. He knew that he was going to win the duel, no matter what, but if he knew that he was going to cause the young man to fall into a coma, then he would have gladly walked away, as much as he disliked him.

Tea placed a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "You couldn't have known that this was going to happen," she told him.

Yugi reached up with one hand and gripped hers, taking comfort in the gesture. "I know that, but it still hurts."

"I know how you feel buddy." Joey offered. "I'm in the same shoes, remember?"

Mai frowned; the situation was becoming all too familiar but she wanted more evidence, before she voiced her own opinions. "If you ask me, this tourney is getting more and more dangerous. First Vivian, now Rex and Weevil. Anybody care to take a stab at who's going to be next?"

"Apparently, anybody who is dueling us." Duke jabbed a thumb at Yugi and Joey. "We were there when Vivian fell, and Yugi and Joey dueled Weevil and Rex before they collapsed."

"Way to point fingers," Tristan said.

"Look, we're just magnets for trouble, in case you haven't been paying attention," Duke snapped. "They probably invented Murphy's Law for us."

"Well, I have been paying attention, Devlin," Tristan hissed back.

"Hey hey, you two," Serenity interceded, before the pair got into fisticuffs. "We're not the enemy."

"Yeah, Midas is," Joey grumbled.

"Serenity has a point," Ryou said softly. "We shouldn't be arguing with each other, we should be directing our energies towards the source."

"You gotta hand it to them, but they're right," Joey admitted. "What we need to do is go talk to Midas, maybe he can put a stop to the tournament or somethin'."

"That is highly unlikely, Wheeler," Kaiba snorted from the doorway, arms crossed, a sour expression on his face. Ishizu was alongside him, as well as Mokuba.

"Hoe long have you been standing there?" Rebecca asked.

"Long enough to hear Wheeler's harebrained scheme. Midas wouldn't put a stop to the tournament if you put a gun to his head."

"Nice to see that you've joined the party." Mai sniped. She turned to Ishizu. "What are you doing back here? We figured you would have left for your duel already."

"Not until the last phase of the day, which is some time from now. Kaiba and I may have found a connection between this and my brother."

"Well, don't leave us hanging," Joey said. "What is it?"

"The Orichalcos."

The room fell silent, all of them growing pale, save for Serenity and Ryou.

Ryou broke the silence. "I'm sorry, but what now?"

"The Seal of Orichalcos," Yugi clarified. "It is an ancient magic, dating back to the time of Atlantis."

"It pretty much bad juju." Tristan added.

"Oh, alright. I'm used to that."

"But, but I thought the Orichalcos was sealed away," Yugi said, shaken. "The Phara—Atem, banished it to the Shadow Realm."

"Well it did not seem to work," Ishizu said sadly. "For the thief Marik was pursuing managed to have a lackey distract him and activated the card, forcing Marik into a duel with him. The lackey lost, fortunately and lost his soul in the aftermath."

Yugi frowned. "It would seem that it did not." He muttered bitterly, squeezing Tea's hand for comfort, his words referring to Atem. "So, if the Orichalcos is indeed still out there, then how can we connect it to us? Weevil nor Rex played Seal of Orichalcos, and neither did Valon. So we have no proof that the Orichalcos is even here."

"I do not know." Ishizu shook her head, her blue eyes imperceptible as she glanced Rex in Weevil, both as silent as graves. "We can only wait."

"In the meanwhile," Yugi said slowly. "We need to confront Midas over the safety of the tournament. It's getting too dangerous."

"Yes, but for all we know, the thief that was dueling Marik was only a fluke," Tea offered. "And that he had found a way to summon the Seal of Orichalcos." At the silence, she amended, "It was only an idea."

"So, we go confront Midas then?" Rebecca asked.

"And, I can discuss with him how he managed to obtain so many of my duel disks illegally," Kaiba added.

"Is that all you care about is your stinking _duel disks_?" Joey nearly shouted, incredulous.

"They cost thousands of dollars to produce and one can only buy four at the most, at one time. Therefore, buying sixty-four of them is obtaining trade secrets and I will not stand for someone stealing my secrets."

"Either way, there is something fishy going here and we need to resolve them before things get worse." Serenity intervened, before her brother got into a clash of words with Seto Kaiba.

"Agreed."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The party, much larger than Yugi expected, stormed down the hall, reminding passersby of a herd of animals, stampeding towards a singular source. Yugi lead the group, until they came across a hallway, off the beaten path, with a pair of guards, one of them the very same security agent from the yacht, hovering at the entrance.

"Is Midas in?" Yugi asked forcefully. His eyes were as hard as cold amethysts, trapped in granite.

The guard was taken aback by Yugi's request. "Well I, um, yes he is in,-"

"Good," Yugi pushed past him, as did everyone else.

"But you can't go in there!" the guard proclaimed, but his pleas fell short. He massaged the temples of his head, pushing aside his sunglasses. "I'm going to get fired for this," he muttered to himself.

Yugi managed to find the door to Midas' office, a thick oaken door, with burnished brass hinges. A golden placard, with Midas' name on it, was hanging off the door. Yugi reached for the thick door knocker, a gold ring clamped in the stylized maw of a fierce dragon. The knocked thudded heavily against the door, the noise echoing through the hall. There was no answer, so he tapped the knocker again. It wasn't until the third time that the door opened at last, Midas, dressed in his formal clothes from earlier that day, looking displeased, judging by his eyes.

"Well well, if it isn't little Yugi and his band of merry men. What may I assist you with?"

"You need to stop the tourney. Now."

His pale green eyes narrowed to thin slits underneath the mask. His long fingers tightened their grip on the crystal orb mounted on his green walking stick. "I'm afraid I can't do that little Yugi. To do so would bring unforeseen consequences down upon us all. Can you simply imagine the press if they heard the the great King of Games demanded a stop to a tournament because he was _afraid?_" he leered.

"I am nowhere near afraid," Yugi growled. "But this is getting too dangerous for the duelists here."

"Those duelists were not equipped to handle the advanced technology of the Kaiba Corp Duel Disks." Midas laid his eyes on Seto Kaiba. "They_ are_ Kaiba Corp disks, no?"

"You know full well, that they are." Kaiba sneered, his mood rapidly dissipating with each passing moment.

"Not equipped to handle the technology!" Mai hands clenched into fists. "Vivian was more than capable of handling the technology!" She took a step forward, as if going to swing at Midas' gloating expression, until Joey reached out, gripping her wrist.

"Not now," he told her, his voice barely audible. "Besides, you'll get your chance, I promise." Mai seemed to deflate and she inhaled deeply, to declutter her raging thoughts.

"As I was saying, these duelists collapsing is merely a long string of unfortunate circumstances," Midas explained tactfully, choosing his words like they were delicacies to be enjoyed. "I cannot put a stop to the contest because the unfounded fears of one duelist and his groupies." He fell into a staring contest with Yugi Muto as he said these, waiting, almost daring the young man to somehow dispute his claim. Yugi though, would not back down, his violet eyes matching his own. They were piercing, boring into Midas' very core, nearly rattling the elder man.

Nearly.

Eventually though, Midas' eyes flickered away, ending the bout. Midas focused his attention to Kaiba. "I never would have pegged you to become one of Yugi's little followers," he sneered.

"I'm not." Kaiba shoved his way past Yugi, to end up face to face with the man behind the golden mask. "I know you bought those disks, unlawfully, I might add, violating Kaiba Corp policy and I will not stand for it. I _will _find out how you did so, and once I do, I'll make sure you'll never do it again." Kaiba's countenance became one that of carved in stone, harsh and unyielding, the only sign of life were his eyes, a spark daring Midas to challenge his claim, in an attempt to force the man to back down.

Midas' thin lips curled upwards underneath the mask in a derisive manner. "You do not scare me, Seto Kaiba, adopted son of Gozaburo Kaiba. I have faced dust mites that were more frightening than you are right now. You might be able to scare some lackey at your company with that glare, but not me. I have faced down things far more frightening than you can ever imagine."

"Yeah, like his mug in the mirror each morning," Joey muttered, earning himself a high five on the down low from Tristan.

Kaiba detected a glimmer of wounded dignity behind the mask as Joey made his remark and Kaiba wondered if for a heartbeat, that Wheeler's crude comment actually got to the man behind the mask. As much as Kaiba did not wish to admit it, he wanted to gloat at Wheeler's remark. The man actually did something right, for a change. Midas shook of the comment, snarling, "Now leave, before I decide to punish you for your insolence." Midas stepped back inside the threshold and slammed the heavy door in Kaiba's face.

"Well, so much for that endeavor," Rebecca said, breaking the silence. "What do you do now?" she asked Yugi.

"What we have always done: figure out Midas' game and play it against him." As Yugi finished, the PA system announced that the next phase of dueling at field five was to begin soon.

"Well bugger," Bakura cursed. "That would be my duel next. I better head down there, before I get disqualified." He started to head down the hall, and he was joined by the others. Mai held back, her expression cloudy and mixed.

They were at a juncture of three halls when she said,"Hey, I'll meet you at your field in a minute, Bakura. I think I forgot something in my room."

"Alright then Mai, see ya in a bit." Joey replied.

Yugi noticed her unusual demeanor. "Wait, I'll join you. Now that I think about it, I forgot something too."

Joey looked puzzled, but shrugged. "Okay then. Guess we'll see the both of you in a bit."

"Yeah." Yugi and Mai went down one way, while the rest went down another. Kaiba had protested being dragged along by Ishizu, but she would not stand for it. Eventually though, Kaiba broke off from the group, grumbling something about his computer. Yugi and Mai were left by themselves in the hall.

"Okay," Yugi started. "You know something, don't you?"

She hesitated. "It's difficult to explain. It's only a feeling, that's all-"

"It's about the Orichalcos, isn't it?"

Mai exhaled loudly and leaned against the wall. "Yeah. I didn't want to say anything earlier, because you know, I didn't want to alarm anybody, freak them out. I'm pretty sure that I'm already on a thin line with Tristan." she laughed bitterly.

"What do you know, about the Orichalcos?"

"I'm not an expert on it, since I was only there for a short while, but if I remember right, Dartz didn't always need the Seal to harvest the souls he needed."

"What?"

Mai slowly slid down the wall, until she was sitting down, her knees"Yeah, just before you confronted him and my duel with Joey, he found a way to send Orichalcos stones all over the planet, turning them into these sort of monster soldiers, harvesting a large amount of souls."

Yugi shuddered, the memories he shared with Atem roiling forth. While he had not been there himself, the memories he shared with Atem were as real as if he had been there himself. It was an unsightly one. Yugi decided to sit next to her. "I remember those now, but as you said, Dartz had to use the stone to summon the monsters. From what I can tell, Weevil and Rex didn't have any sign of the stone on their person."

"Yes, but don't forget, I wasn't there for very long, so I don't know that much about the Orichalcos. You would have to ask someone like Valon, or Raphael, on something like this." She buried her head in her knees, moaning. "I can't believe we're going through this all over again. It's like the phrase goes, 'the past always come back to bite you on the butt', huh?"

"I don't I've heard it that way before, but alright," Yugi laughed weakly, trying to ease the despondent mood that threatened to smother them both. He became suddenly serious. "I know how you feel though. It's like the past has come to haunt us all, but that doesn't mean that it will play out the same way as it did before. We have a chance to change it. Besides, as Tea said, maybe the guy dueling Marik was a fluke and we're all just a bunch of paranoid young adults, too used to saving the world."

She slowly lifted her head up, somewhat cheered up. "We're you always this philosophical and I missed it the entire time?"

"Not always. I was a teenager, remember? Hormones and what not."

"You had hormones?" She teased. "I thought you were always busy with your dueling."

"Not really," he muttered, ears flaring a bright red, thinking of something.

"Oh, so there_ is _something else then." She winked, punching him playfully in the shoulder. " I knew it. A certain brunette then?"

"I uh-"

"You can tell me kiddo. I'll keep it a secret."

Just then, a duelist wandered down the hallwall, talking to himself loudly, staggering and tipsy in his movements; he was obviously inebriated. He stopped when he saw Mai and Yugi sitting on the floor. He tilted his head to one side, studying them intently. "Whoa," he finally said, his words a little slurred. He pointed. "You totally look like you could be related to each other!" He hovered for a few minutes more, quiet, until he wandered off again, as if the incident never happened.

When he left, Mai and Yugi exchanged glances and then, breaking into laughter. "Do we really?" she asked, in between peals of laughter.

"It must be the eyes. And the hair."

"Look, my hair isn't as crazy as yours. You're a partial blonde. I'm_ all _blonde. Natural too."

"I didn't say anything."

**Oh Mai, you make me laugh, you matchmaker you. Too bad you can't figure out your own situation. Thankfully, you have Tea and Serenity to help you in that regard. ;)**

** I also had this mental image of Kaiba crossing his arms and pouting as Ishizu dragged him down the hall by his collar. It was quite hilarious, but it didn't quite make the cut. It's still funny to imagine.**

** The last teeny tiny bit stems from a fandom theory, a very small one, but it is still there, and that is that Yugi and Mai are somehow related. Lol. It makes for interesting fanfic. Maybe I'll write it one day. Personally, I think that they could be distant cousins...very very distant cousins. Which would make Joey dating Mai kind funny and awkward at the same time, lol.**

** I REGRET NOTHING.**

** (And Aaron is still looking for his pirate outfit, btw. Lololololololol. It'll probably be called the "Sexy-Man Pirate outfit", in his words, not mine, I swear.)**


	26. Chapter 26: The Power of Magic

Chapter 26: The Power of Magic

Midas slammed the door behind him, that cold, condescending veneer slipping underneath the mask, but only a little. They were getting suspicious, he noted.

Very, very suspicious.

He clenched the haft of his cane, storming down past his office, where he did most of his professional work, mainly pertaining to business deals and what not. He reached the door of his inner sanctum, fishing for the key in his pocket, all the while trying to maintaining his composure. He fumbled with the ancient bronze lock, for only a moment, trying to set it in the keyhole. It clicked open and he stormed inside, the door thudding shut behind him.

He propped the cane next to the door jam and with both hands, made a gesture, muttering something under his breath. The room thrummed with energy as he canted a spell, preventing anybody from entering the room, as well as blocking any and all eavesdroppers. He nodded to himself, satisfied with the results. He went into a small room, to change into something more, 'comfortable', for what he was about to do.

A few minutes, he emerged from a small alcove, clad in a white robe that trailed behind him nearly five feet. The robe had gold and teal thread embroidered in wave patterns along the edges of his sleeves and bottom. Across his shoulders was what appeared to be a golden crown for his shoulders, a massive metal epaulet that spanned both his shoulders in a singular. Two spikes jutted from just at his shoulder muscles, while four two more spikes emerged from just above his breasts. Two more rested on the backside, parallel to the two in front. Lines and unknown runes were embossed in the metal, while a line of emeralds traversed the bottom edge, with the largest emerald, the size of a pigeon's egg was mounted squarely in the middle resting just at the center of his collarbone. Small square gold and orichalcum plates hung down from the piece, gleaming like polished mirrors. The entire piece was ornate, and ancient, worth millions of dollars to the unscrupulous. To Midas though, it was a priceless treasure. Upon his head rested a golden version of the ancient Egyptian double crown, known as the _atef_. This one though, was much smaller in proportion to the original, and instead of the uraeus and Wadjet, the cobra and vulture, respectively, there was a single glittering gem of a bright green, like the emerald in his shoulder piece. Except, this was not an emerald, a peridot, or of any greenish gem.

This one was far more ancient-

-and powerful.

In Midas's hand was a slender staff, similar in structure to the ancient Egyptian _was_ staff the gods bore in their depictions in papyrus and stone. A blend of Atlantean, Grecian, and Egyptian histories, all in and on a single man.

Midas stepped into the orichalcum magic circle, standing squarely in the middle. He shouted, "Incaendium!" the candles in the darkened room burst into life, miniature conflagrations, casting tall slender shadows on the wall.

Midas closed his eyes, feeling the ruined skin upon his face chafe against the mask and he briefly recalled Joey Wheeler's remark. A spark of anger burst in his chest; how could the young man understand the ramifications of the off-handed joke? To see your ruined face day after day, unchanging, for thousands of years? The price to pay, for ultimate knowledge, he once thought, but as immortality stretched before him like a lonely dusty road, the more he began to regret his decision, to open that book.

But now, now he had the opportunity to wipe all that away, to no longer be cursed. Eyes still closed, he held the _was_ staff high, holding it tight in both hands. He spread his feet, clad in leather sandals, about a shoulder's width apart, on either side of the very center of the circle.

"So, little Yugi," Midas crowed, his voice sounding eerily hollow, but with multiple voices behind it. "You think you're on to me, demanding that I cease this tournament? You think that like all those you have defeated before you, that I will fall quickly. You think you know me, but all you see is the man with the golden face. But I am a man of a thousand tricks and a thousand secrets. I have walked the sands of Egypt while the pyramids were in their infancy. I have seen the rise and fall of empires and civilizations, the ascension and downfall of gods. I know the whispers in the dark, the secrets they tell me. I know far, far much more than your insignificant mind can even barely begin to comprehend. I have peered into the mind of the gods themselves.

"And boy, I have only just begun with my little bag of tricks.

"I will bring the world to its knees and you can do nothing to stop me.

"For I have only just begun!"

Midas slammed the butt of the staff into the very center of the circle, sending a wave of energy out like ripples in a pond. A deep bell tone rang in his ears as the wood struck the orichalcum. The gems on his shoulder piece and crown glowed with a bright white light, their brilliance drowning out the bright fires of the candles around him. He opened his eyes, the irises and sclera glowing with the same intensity.

It was time to activate _all_ the Duel Disks.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

There was a knock at the door, startling Valon from his nap. He had managed to fall asleep at the desk, where he was fiddling with his deck, the table lamp no painfully shining in his eyes. He got up from the chair, running hands through his wild mane, only to find Mai at his door, looking very irritated, arms crossed, her eyes narrowed.

"We need to talk."

"'Ello Mai, come to make an attempt to win my 'eart? 'Cuz I t'ink I'm taken," he laughed cheekily to himself. "Well, I'd like t' t'ink so."

"I heard. Joey's going to have kittens about it, but that's not what I'm here for."

"S'ame."

"I need to know everything about the Orichalcos."

"Like w'at?"

"About how it works."

"Well darlin' you know 'ow it works already. W'at more do ya need to know?"

Mai huffed in frustration, pushing past him, only to sit down on the edge of the bed, clearly not budging. Valon rolled his eyes, trailing right behind her. "Well, Excuse meee princessss!" He sat in the chair backwards, leaning on the backing of it.

She ignored the comment. "I think that both you and I know what's going on here. People are dropping left and right, like the Orichalcos is in play, even thought none of us played the card, nor have the stone. Spill."

"I ain't got nothin' to do wit' it. I'm just 'ere ta win the tourney, jus' like you. I'm not out ta get anybody, 'onest. As for t'e Orichalcos, We always 'ad the stone with the card, that was Dartz's rule. You couldn' play the card without the stone andvice versa. Although. . ."

"What Valon?"

"Dartz could use the stone without the card, but we thought t'at was 'cuz 'e could do that sort of thing, since he controlled it. Remember those soldiers down in Cancun, when we're were takin' out t'at drug lord?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Dartz told Raph that 'e could summon t'ose monsters without the Seal and t'at he could do other things to. . ." Valon trailed off. "If it is the Orichalcos, could it mean that Dartz is Midas?"

"I doubt it. I saw Midas eyes', they were both green. Dartz had one green eye and one gold eye. Nor was he horribly scarred. I got a peek of the scars peeking out from under that mask."

"So t'at's why 'e wears it t'en," Valon mused. "I t'ought 'e was goin' for some James Bond Villain look ya know. I didn't see the scars."

"Because you don't pay that much attention," she smirked.

"I do!"

"Yeah, to pretty girls." Valon stuck his tongue at her in response. Mai continued, "Could Raphael or Alister know about this sort of thing concerning the Seal and the stone?"

"Well, Raph' always knew the most. "'E was Dartz's right 'and man, but I don' know if 'e would know _all _the secrets of the Seal, if you catc' my drift. Alister probably wouldn' know muc' either." He shrugged. "I could ask for ya t'ough, if you want. They're both livin' in Domino, same as me."

"I didn't know they were living in Domino City."

"Eh, we liked t'e place, nice enough, lots of duelin'. But I can always call t'em and see if they know anything."

"That would be great. Thanks Valon."

"No prob', anyt'ing for a friend. I gotta ask a favor though: could ya, you know, talk to Wheeler for me?"

"About Serenity?"

Valon nodded.

"Well, I'm just a matchmaker all over the place. I doubt that I'd get through his thick head. He's very stubborn and protective of his little sister and frankly I don't blame him, with Tristan and Duke constantly hovering her. She's a smart girl though, and I'm sure that she can do the talking for herself."

"Yeah, s'e seemed like one toug' cookie." Valon said, before smirking. "W'at about you and Wheeler? Any eherm, "sparks" t'ere?" he winked.

She scowled. "You have a one track mind, you know that right?"

"Yep, always 'ave, always will. So you ain't gonna spill t'en?" At Mai's frown, he huffed. "Nuts. I was 'opin' for some juicy details to tell Raph' and Alister."

"Just ask them for me, alright?"

He saluted. "Righty oh!"

"Thanks." she curtly got up and left the room. Once she had shut the door behind her, Valon remarked, "Touchy t'ing, ain't she?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Tabitha finally ordered her driver to come to a stop, for it was nearing one in the morning and she could see him drooping off every now and then. The last thing Tabitha wished was to careen off the road due to a drowsy driver. Besides, she had some business to take care off. She exited the vehicle, a phone in hand. She kept a few cell phones on her, should she see the need to get rid of one or two. She placed her SD card inside and then dialed a number, one she had since memorized.

A sleepy voice answered the other end. _"Tabitha, you better have a very good reason why you are calling me at such an ungodly hour,"_ the voice growled.

"I apologize Master, but some urgent matters have occurred."

_"Such as what?"_

"The original owner of the stones and scrolls, Marik Ishtar has finally begun to caught up with me. We ended up in a car chase that penetrated the interior of Syria. One of his lackeys shot up one of my vehicles. We managed to get away thankfully."

The other end paused for a minute. _"I see. Now, how was the Ishtar able to catch up?"_

"I'm assuming that he managed to place a trace on my number, by using Gurimo's. I've since learned that Gurimo failed in his quest to put a stop to him."

_"I already knew that," _the voice replied dismissively. _"As of many other things. I'm assuming that you still have everything intact, no?"_

"Yes, Master."

_"Good, good. I received your email, and the copies of the scrolls. For the record, I had no need __of a translator, I already know how to read hieroglyphics as if it were my mother tongue."_

"So, do you still have need of them Master?"

_ "Frankly Tabitha, I already have another source, working on a way to entreat access to the Library of Alexandria. As for the latter scroll, I will be making a little trip into Turkey in a few days, to retrieve the Blade of Wisdom, in thanks to the scroll. I shall meet you in __Ç__anakkale five days from now. Is that understood, Tabitha?"_

Tabitha nodded. "Yes, Master."

_"Good. You have always been one of my more successful soldiers. See to it that you remains that way."_

"Yes Master. I have a question though."

"_And what is that, Tabitha?"_

"From what I can gather, it sounds as if you no longer have a need for the scrolls. What should I do with them?"

_"As I have told you before, they will make excellent additions to my already extensive collection. There is always knowledge to be learned, especially ancient knowledge."_

There was an audible click on the other line and it went dead, telling Tabitha that her master and employer had already hung up on her. She sighed and shut her phone as well, removing the SD card from it, should Marik find another way to track the device. Hopefully, he had been duped by her destruction of the previous device, and will no longer pursue her.

She fiddled absently with the poison ring on her hand. As much as she desired a final showdown with the man she once called employer and former lover, she knew that it was not ideal to her master's plans. She disliked it, hungering for revenge, but she had no say in the matter. At least, not any more. He had once promised her a chance to avenge herself, striking back at Marik Ishtar. And she, despondent, on the verge of being broke, and a burning desire for vengeance, readily agreed with him, offering her services almost right away, barely even considering the repercussions.

As time passed, as her master amassed his grand scheme, her desires were slowly being shunted aside, as he sent her to various places across the globe, fulfilling his wishes and orders. Sometimes, it meant killing one of her former compatriots, whether they were a former Rare Hunter or one of her master's, like the man at the seedy bar. At first, Tabitha, who had now changed her name, to throw pursuers off her trail, was fine with these arrangements; it was the nature of the beast.

But now, every once in a blue moon, when she was alone with her deepest thoughts and desires, she questioned whether she made the right decision and whether her employer had actually duped her into believing that she could strike back against Marik.

It wouldn't surprise her, frankly. It was the nature of the game, of deception and trickery. Tabitha employed it regularly, as did Marik when he led the Rare Hunters—in Marik's case, it was magically induced. In her master's case, it was through his incredible charisma and seemingly ageless wisdom, wisdom and charisma that seemed to drip from her person, honeyed words hidden behind a mask of gold.

A thought came to Tabitha and a dark, sadistic grin lit up Tabitha's face. Her master did say that he would be in Çanakkale within a week, plenty of time for Tabitha to squeeze in a little 'fun'. Even if her Master would not give her the time or place to inflict her wrath upon Marik Ishtar, she would have plenty of time to do so, within the span of a few days. Her hand involuntarily went to the deck she stored in her pocket.

"Time for the games to begin."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was uncommon place for him to visit another person. He mainly kept to himself, away from most of society. To grasp even the basic rules and morals of this modern society would elude him, like attempting to hold onto to slipping grains of sand. So, he kept his distance, an ever watchful eye cast upon them, like a mindful shepherd over the flock who had no idea he was even there.

Once, he had thought of conquering them, bringing the foolish, simpletons to their knees as he reigned over them. That changed though, in a singular moment, when the darkness was purged from his person, an exorcism that plumbed the deepest, darkest parts of his soul, to at last purge the darkness that lingered there for ten thousand years.

But now, now he wandered the globe, seeking knowledge and wisdom, to pass the time until he faded into the soft, velvet darkness he knew as death. He wished to see his child, father and beloved wife, longed to see them, but now was not the time. To cut his time here on the planet short would be shameful, dishonorable even. His father had once told him, when a fellow noble had been found dead of self inflicted poisoning, "Why would one want to cut their life so short and in a meaningless way, when there is so much here to live for, so much to see, to experience?"

"Perhaps he was preserving his honor?" he had replied.

His father then shook his head. "He had no reason to preserve his honor in the first place. They took a simple, almost cowardly way out."

And so, those words echoing in his head like the church bells he would occasionally during his travels, he continued his wanderings, absorbing all he could from those that happened to wander across his path. It was a lonely existence, yes, but is was a worthy one, he told himself.

So, it was an unusual thing that he would take it upon himself to willingly go to the residence of another, a former foe, if he recalled right, the man who managed to create the one instrument to his downfall. He had never met the man in person—he had once sent a lackey to do the deed,-but he was about to.

He emerged from the waves, an ascension not too dissimilar to Venus herself, his feet lightly touching down on the sand spread out before him. He wore simple clothes, a tunic and pants, leather sandals and a long robe, shrouding most of his body, the cowl over his face, obscuring most of his features save for his golden eyes, gleaming with an intelligence and wisdom not seen in many. He had no time for the frivolous fashions of the modern age, hence, his current choice of outfit.

He was greeted by what he surmised was a security guard, from the sharp black suit to the sunglasses and earwig. "You there!" he pointed at him. "What are you doing on this island!" From what he could tell, the guard was more shocked that he had emerged from the waves, his clothes not even dripping with water. Magic was a wonderful, if one could use it right and properly.

"I have an appointment with Master Pegasus," he explained simply.

The guard seemed to pause at that. ". . .You do?"

"Yes, now, please step aside so that I may speak with him."

"But, but it is past midnight!"

"I know that, but it is an urgent, and secretive matter. Now, allow me to go see him." he added forcibly.

The guard frowned, not used to being told off by a stranger who had just walked out of the water. "I'll need to contact Master Pegasus." He reached for a walkie talkie, when he moved swiftly, crossing the few yards of beach in between them, grabbing the guard's hand and pulling it away from the walkie-talkie. He then placed a second hand on the guard's face, his fore and middle finger on the man's temple. He uttered a single word and the guard fell to the ground, unconscious.

"I apologize," he told the collapsed guard. "But it had to be done." he rearranged his clothing and walked away.

Magic was indeed a powerful tool.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was past midnight, and yet, Maximilian Pegasus could still not sleep. He had shuttered himself away from the rest of his expansive, luxurious holdings, in the castle—he had dubbed it such-'s library. He settled himself in one of the large, more comfortable chairs of the room, pulling a copy of a novel he had taken upon himself to read. Normally, if he could not sleep, he would have pulled a copy of his beloved Funny Bunny series, but he was more in a mood for a novel, one that had been recommended to him by a colleague.

Pegasus reached across the chair, to a small nightstand next to him, for the bottle of red wine and the singular glass he had brought with him. He popped the cork, pouring the ruby red liquid into the glass flute. Once the wine had reached to about two-thirds of the glass, he stopped. The last thing he wanted was to overindulge himself on such a wonderful night like this one. It was the little things in life. A good book—or comic, an excellent glass of wine, and cozy music playing in the background, and he was set.

"This is the life," he told himself. Retirement was excellent on Pegasus. Granted that he had to step out once in a while, such as designing cards that would allow Yugi and friends to save the world, and the occasional meeting with Industrial Illusions—Yugi still refused the majority shares of the company, so until then, Pegasus maintained control of them—but all in all, it was a remarkably wonderful existence, if he had to say so himself.

The lamplight flickered once, then twice, leaving Pegasus to wonder whether the light bulb was properly screwed in, until he saw the other lights in the library flickering in well. He absently turned towards one of the massive windows, determining the weather. It was clear outside, with only the light of the stars peeking through. So, it wasn't the weather causing the storm. Maybe it was something in the electrical system.

The more he peered at the unusual occurrence, the more it struck him. Not only were all the lights flickering, they seemed to flicker in a pattern. But as he began to notice the similarities, the flickering ceased, leaving the millionaire mildly baffled.

Then he noticed the cloaked figure standing a few feet away from him. He was clad in ancient clothing, with a long cloak that went to the floor and a broad hood that obscured most of his facial features, save for gold eyes, a color Pegasus had not seen on an ordinary man.

The figure spoke. "Hello, Pegasus."

Pegasus took a panicked glance at the glass of wine and wondered if this batch had been much stronger than he had originally thought. The figure, seeing this, chuckled. "Do not fret, for this is no drunken illusion."

Pegasus scowled, his evening now ruined. "Who are you and how did you get in here?"

"Magic is a powerful thing, no?"

"Magic then. That would explain the flickering lights then." Pegasus told himself.

"Very astute. I see that you have not lost your touch."

Pegasus's scowled deepened as he studied the mysterious figure. "Enough games. Who are you?"

The figure nodded and pulled back the hood off his face. In an instant, in his mind's eye, Pegasus was brought back to a memory. An old one, of being clad in silvery armor, carrying a mirrored shield, a green ring of magic surrounding him like walls in a gilded cage. He shuddered, shunting the memory from his mind. He was positive that he had been defeated by the Pharaoh, he knew it!

So how was he here, in his library, talking to him like it were some normal occurrence?

"Dartz."

** Plot twists, plot twists EVERYWHERE. You didn't think that since I was bringing in the Orichalcos, I wouldn't forget about Dartz, would ya? ;) **

** And the good news is that I expect the story to be finished by the end of this year. As of today, 9/21-22/2012, I have written 39 chapters and we _just_ hit the bulk of the plot, the main plot, shall we say. I won't say too much more, but if I can get it finished (hopefully by November of this year, at the latest), I can release to you guys quickly.**

** I have also decided that in the wake of this story, and with so many questions fielded to me by my ever so faithful and exceedingly loyal reviewers/readers, I will do a one-shot based in this universe. It will have a variety of different topics in there, from Tshilaba, to Atlantis itself, to copious amounts of Valleyshipping (which was why I originally wanted to do it in the first place haha) and what ever topics come to mind. I will kick it off with a Halloween special-a charity tourney that doubles as a masquerade and that's all I'm saying lol, but until AR is finished, it will probably be the only one in the collection for a while.**

** I haven't thought of a title for this collection, but I am willing to take title suggestions from you guys, my readers/reviewers, because heavens know that this story would be NOTHING without you guys. I will also take one-shot ideas from you guys as well, concerning this. So if you're wondering about Midas' backstory, or how Sivya would hang out with the girls (Tea, Mai, Serenity, Rebecca) or even Absintheshipping (because both existed in this universe), don't be afraid to send them either as review/PM and I'll take them into consideration.**


	27. Chapter 27: The Trap is Set

Chapter 27: The Trap is Set

**Is it a horrible thing to already conjure up chapter names for chapters that haven't even been written yet? Because the climactic chapter for this has been titled "Endgame". And that's all I'm saying. *zips mouth shut***

** And for the record, I'm not familiar with the cities of Turkey and terms of how busy and advanced the larger ones are, so the latter part of the chapter is purely based of speculation. Sorry 'bout that. **

It made Marik uneasy, to lose Tshilaba's trail so easily. Even more so was the ability to use a card like hers off the battle field, so to say. In order to be able to bring a card to life requires intense magic, considering that the game made its origins in ancient Egypt, where the games were only played with magic. So, Tabitha must have some sort of otherworldly power at her side, he surmised. Which frankly, was not a good thing, to say the least.

He hugged himself, looking upwards at the firmament above him, stars across the sky, reminding him of paint splatter. The car was trundling down the dirt road with the tenacity of those blasted camels from the Egyptian desert. They still had the ring to guide them, thankfully, even if they no longer had a phone. Aaron and Odion were taking shifts at the wheel, in order to keep pace with the former Rare Hunter and her lackeys. Marik had wanted to drive, but both Odion and Aaron pointed out the growing bags under his eyes, and flat out told him 'no'.

Marik could not blame them for their concern, honestly. It was difficult, sleeping these past couple of weeks. Not only because of the stress, but the increasing frequency of the nightmares that strike in the dead of night, forcing him wide awake, eyes wide with fear, perspiration pouring down his back, chilling him to the core.

But oddly enough, on the nights he was near Sivya, like the car rides through the desert, the nightmares never did come, which was a relief to the rapidly growing sleep deprived Marik. He still regretted not asking Sivya what she was planning, when this whole ordeal was over. He guessed that she was heading to Cairo, to find what happened to her brothers, but he suspected she already knew. Maybe she just wanted to bury them.

It was unusual, these feelings that churned in his chest when he thought of her, which, like the dreams, was growing with more frequency. He couldn't describe them, persay, but he had a nagging suspicion what they were.

What he could not believe, was how quickly they grew, these feelings. It had only been a little more than a week since he first met her, but he was falling, fast and hard.

Once upon a time, he thought he had these feelings for another, Tshilaba, but when he looked back on them, they were more lust than love, a physical attraction rather than a spiritual one. But with Sivya, it was different. Maybe if he had more time, he could put a better finger on it, but with their journey coming to a head, it felt like time was slipping away from him, maybe too quick to make the proper decision.

So, it was to be now or never, he then realized. Yes, it was an impulsive decision, but it was one he didn't regret in the least.

He felt something on his shoulder and he looked to his left, to find Sivya sleeping soundly next to him. Her black hair was like a curtain, blocking her face fro the rest of the world. It reminded Marik of Ishizu's hair, how long and straight it was. It was a very odd comparison, really. His fingers twitched, fighting the temptation to reach out and move the errant strands from her face. He bit his lip, wondering what depths he was sinking to, to reach the point where he was fighting this sort of thing.

It was probably the fact that he was becoming so tired.

Or it was hormones.

Knowing him, it was the hormones.

"Dang it," he muttered to himself. Aaron, who was currently driving the jeep, raised an eyebrow at him in the rear view mirror, curious. Marik shrugged. "It's nothing."

Aaron nodded and turned his eyes back to the road. Marik meanwhile turned his attention back to Sivya. He wondered if he could get away with such a thing. He took a hurried glance to Aaron, to see if the Mossad agent was still watching. When it was revealed that he was not, Marik took another look at Sivya. She sighed softly in her state, getting more comfortable—which happened to be Marik's shoulder.

In the end though, he decided that like Sivya, he would give into sleep. So, he closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep, a dreamless one, one that was not plagued by nightmares.

Aaron's eyes flickered to the rear view mirror, to take a peek at the back seat passengers. He chuckled to himself, when he saw Marik fall asleep, his head resting against Sivya's.

"Your secret's safe with me." he told the sleeping young man.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was a relatively bustling city, with tall buildings and a large enough population. It would satisfy Tabitha's needs for now. At the moment, she was busy plotting out her scheme, to ensnare Marik into her trap. She no longer cared what her master and employer thought. It was time to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak. In a preemptive move, she had mailed the stones, still in their precious container, to

She sat at a small bistro, watching the crowds mill before like herds of sheep. The bustling crowds reminded Tabitha of her earlier days, when her family-if she could call it that—traveled the countryside. As a Roma by birth, she was expected to live a reclusive life, of wanderings and engrained familial traditions. The outside world knew very little about them and that was how her family—a mishmash troupe of immediate and distant relatives—liked it.

Tshilaba—who's name had once meant 'seeker of knowledge', was dissatisfied with that existence, and longed to escape.

And she got her chance, when a happenstance accident destroyed nearly everything she knew about her existence. Her family liked to keep away from most urban areas, preferring the peace of places like forests and the like. Then during a storm, a bolt of lightning struck a tree and the dry timber, combined with windy conditions, made for a perfect storm so to speak. The fire swept quickly through the forest and her family had been caught unawares.

Somehow, she survived the quick conflagration, only to see her home and everything she knew gone, ashes on the wind. So, Tshilaba set forth, after giving her relatives a funeral, well, what was left of her family, anyways. She wandered into civilization and then-

Tabitha frowned to herself, banishing those thoughts. How she managed to go down that road of memories, nothing more than shadows and wisps of them, was beyond her. She had no desire to travel that road and she concentrated on her plan.

The plan was simple really. She would force Marik into a duel and then steal his soul, using the power of the Orichalcos. It was blissfully easy on the surface, but the more she pondered it, the more she realized that there were some flaws in the plan. To an outsider, it seemed a silly way to wreak vengeance, but what the outsider did not know was the real power of a single card. There was another flaw to the plan, Tabitha noticed, mulling it over. Like, for instance, how to force Marik into a duel. Gurmio had used a rather uncivilized and brutish plan, using guns to make a point. Tabitha pulled a face in distaste. If she wanted a simple way out, she would use that.

But no, Tabitha wanted to make him suffer as much as possible.

So, she had another one, another way. She would attack him personally, taking one of his loved ones hostage. Someone very close to him. From what she could tell from the car chase, Marik had two other companions with him, alongside Odion. One had a gun and the appearance of a experienced soldier. Tabitha immediately removed him from her mind. He would be too difficult to capture, plus, he had the appearance of being hired help, so there would be no way for Marik to have a personal connection with him. The other was a female, about Marik's age, reminding Tabitha of Ishizu, the older sister Marik had told her about, once upon a time. Tabitha had little information to go on as well, so the girl was shunted aside as a possibility.

That left Odion.

Tabitha remembered much of Odion. He was Marik's adopted brother and as loyal of a man as any, even suspending his own moral compass to willingly follow his brother into the darkness that was the Rare Hunters. They were very close, Tabitha recalled. They acted more like blood siblings, rather than adopted ones. Odion had even tattooed his face with ancient Egyptian spells of protection, to shelter his brother from the horrors of the outside world. That took dedication, Tabitha had to admit, but such closeness can and could lead to downfall, as Tabitha had learned over the years.

So, Odion it would be then.

She smiled to herself in malicious glee. Revenge had never been so sweet, like honey on the tongue, melting away and leaving a lingering taste of satisfaction behind. She reached for a hand held device and contacted one of her lackeys. While she did have many contacts and connections, this habit of loosing so many of her cronies and lackeys was growing annoying. Thankfully, her master was generous, supplying her with more. Shame that they went so quickly though, Tabitha thought flippantly.

_"Yes, Mistress Tabitha."_

"I want you to keep an eye out for Marik Ishtar. I'm guessing that he will be stopping in this city for a little rest. As soon as you see him, contact me immediately. And give me details."

_"Yes, Mistress Tabitha."_

Tabitha smirked, hanging up on the guard. They were so eager to please, like labrador retrievers. She turned back to her drink in front of her, a coffee, black, with two sugar cubes, a drink that was no growing cold. So, she pushed it aside, watching the people mill about, thinking of her grand plans of vengeance on the man she had once called a lover.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Oh, thank you!" Marik praised heartily, nearly standing up from his back seat, arms spread. They had crossed into Turkey, finding themselves in a bustling city, with soaring buildings and bustling people. "Civilization!"

"Hey Marik!" Aaron shouted from the driver's seat. "Can't exactly see with you back there standing up!" Despite the bags under his eyes, Aaron seemed to be in a good mood as well, like the rest of them.

Sivya giggled and tugged on Marik's shirt. "Aaron can't see."

"I know that—whoa!" Sivya's tugging, in combination with a bump in the road, caused Marik to stumble in the back seat, falling backwards, only to end up in what Marik thought was the most embarrassing situation yet.

Right onto Sivya's lap.

The young girl froze, as Marik landed in her lap. Her face was was rapidly turning a bright shade of red, a shade that Marik did not thought could cross her features. Of course, he could not say anything, for his own face was turning red. "Heh heh," Marik laughed weakly. "How are you?"

As Sivya tried to formulate a response, Aaron and Odion were too busy laughing at the sight. Aaron ribbed Odion in the side. "This is classic! Wait until Ishizu hears about this!"

Marik sputtered something under his breath about nosy brothers and Mossad agents and quickly scrabbled back to his seat, leaving Sivya speechless. Mairk turned to her. "Um, sorry about that." He apologized,.

She finally cracked a smile, seeing the apologetic look on his face. "It's alright, things happen. If I had not pulled on your shirt, then you might not have fallen."

"Or, if Marik hadn't decided on standing up in the back," Odion countered, eyes twinkling with mirth. "Then maybe he would not have fallen." Aaron chuckled and winked at Marik from the rear view mirror, further eliciting the blush.

Marik scowled at his brother, who could only smile at him. "Very funny, Odion. You too, smarty pants agent."

Aaron drove the vehicle further into the city into the narrow streets. Aaron did his best to avoid the crowds of people and other vehicles, some of which were four legged and stacked with trade goods. The city was a crossroads of modern and ancient, very much like Turkey's historic reputation, a crossroads for trade, information and ideas in the ancient days. He nearly avoided a collision with a trader tugging and nearly dragging his mule down the street. The mule, who was protesting the bit in his mouth, his back piled on with trade goods, refused to follow, honking and bellowing at his owner, digging his hooves into the roadway.

Finally, they managed to find a hotel towards the center of the town. It was an elegant structure, a handful of stories tall, clearly constructed a long time ago, from what the designs and architecture could tell. There were iron wrought balconies in middle eastern designs, and tile and mosaic work, flower and letters in Arabic, in pale blue and other colors covered portions of the wall.

Sivya, clearly enraptured with the simple beauty the hotel possessed, ran her fingers across the tile work, feeling the smooth and cool tiles under the tips of her fingers. "It is so beautiful here!" she said in awe, looking upwards.

"Yeah, it is." Marik said absently, watching as she deftly plucked a flower from one of the pots, a bright blue one, with yellow streaks reaching from the heart of the flower, giving it a sniff and then tucking it in her hair, just behind her ear. She looked so happy, so carefree, so few troubles in the world. . .

"Marik Ishtar," Aaron whispered in his ear, pulling on the back of his shirt. "If you do not make a move with that girl sometime soon, so help me, I will force you to do it."

"What?"

"You heard me. You keep looking at her like some sort of lovesick puppy. If you like her, just say something!"

"But you don't—it's hard to—aw forget it. It's hard to explain." At last, Marik had found some sort of excuse.

"It's not that hard from my point of view," Aaron smirked. "Come on Romeo, let's get you inside."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

There had been many of them, watchers throughout the city, under Tabitha's command. They were like vultures, dressed in plain clothes, waiting and watching. One of them, a burly Caucasian man of south African descent, spotted them first, from a small stall a few yards away. There were four of them, Marik, Odion, the man who had shot at them, and a girl, maybe a few years younger than Marik, but pretty enough, of long limbs and slender stature, with honey hued eyes and straight black hair. She appeared naïve and carefree, soaking in all that the world had to offer.

And it was obvious to the observer that Marik cared for her, watching her almost longingly as she went about the front of the hotel. Maybe, he thought to himself, pretending to handle an item at the stall, Mistress Tabitha should change her plan and strike somewhere else, in order to convince the man to duel.

He pressed a hand to the earwig, actually a small communications device in his ear canal. "Mistress Tabitha."

_"What is it?"_ She seemed agitated and irritable.

"I have located Marik Ishtar and his fellow cronies. May I suggest a addendum to your plan, Mistress Tabitha?"

She paused. _"And what would that be?"_

"Do not attempt to kidnap Odion Ishtar. Target the girl instead. It is clear that he is clearly developing feelings for her. Her kidnapping would be much more painful to him."

There was another pause on the other line and the observer wondered if it was a poor idea, to offer the suggestion. Even more so since he implied that Marik was developing feelings for another that was not she. She seemed touchy on the subject, concerning her former employer and lover. _"So he has, hasn't he?" _Her voice reminded him of dripping honey laced with cyanide. _"Very well then, change in plans. Target her instead."_

"Yes, ma'am." She hung up on him and he turned his attention back to Marik Ishtar and friends. He reached for a small walkie talkie at his side. "The plan is a go. I repeat, the plan is a go."

..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So, is the game very hard?" Sivya asked Marik, reaching for one of the packs in the back of the jeep. She was questioning Marik about the game of Duel Monsters, since Marik had just brought it up with Aaron and Odion, in reference to the card Tabitha/Tshilaba had managed to bring to real life.

Marik shrugged. "It depends. It's kind of like chess. It has a lot of complicated rules to it, but once you get the hand of it, one can get to be really good at it."

"Yes, Marik here placed second in Kaiba's Battle city tournament," Odion added. "He is quite the expert duelist."

"Only because I had a God Card," Marik muttered to himself. "Aaron is the National Champion of Israel."

"What is this, time to give accolades to each other?" Aaron asked, making sure everything was secured. "Next we'll all be braiding hair and what not."

Marik snorted. "You can braid your own hair, Aaron."

"Thanks for hanging me out to dry."

Just then, a gust of wind came racing through the streets, sending things flapping and fluttering everywhere. The flower Sivya had in her hair came loose, going into the street. "Oh no!" Sivya said. "My flower!" She rushed around the jeep, to get her flower, lest it become crushed underfoot. Then, a black van came roaring down the road, sending travelers and bystanders scurrying off the road. The vehicle roared to a stop just nearby the jeep.

"This isn't good," Aaron muttered, hand going to his hunting knife.

Four men hopped out of the van, charging towards them. One of them scooped up Sivya in his burly arms, one hand clamped over her mouth. She managed to scream once, and bit down on his hand, clearly not going without a fight. Another assisted, while the other two men went towards the vehicle.

"Sivya!" Marik screamed at the top of his lungs, his words like jagged knifes in the air. "Sivya!

Sivyaaa!" He raced towards her, until the other two men managed to block his progress. He swung his fist at one of them, striking the man full on the nose, shattering it and causing him to bleed profusely. The other man was engaged in fisticuffs with Aaron and Odion, and was holding his own. The second man, who was assisting the first in shoving Sivya in the vehicle, broke away from her and went to the aid of the others.

Sivya managed to squirm out of the man's grip. "Marik! Marik, help me! Mariiikkk!" The man got his hand around her mouth and nose, and dragged her boldly into the van. The other three, seeing this, backed away, back inside the van. Marik ran towards the vehicle, until it roared to life, sending plumes of exhaust fumes everywhere and made a u-turn, back to where it came from. Marik ran after it, screaming obscenities at it, in between intervals of crying out Sivya's name. The van made a sharp turn around a building at the end of the block and Marik lost it in a crowd of people.

"SIVYA! Siiivvvvya!"In the middle of the street, Marik sank to his knees, moaning to himself. "Sivya, Sivya. . .Ohhhh," he moaned, head in his hands, near inconsolable. Aaron and Odion rushed to his side.

Aaron reached him first. "We'll get her back, I promise."

Marik finally pulled his head away from his hands, stony faced, pale lavender hued eyes hard, like slices of flint. "This was Tshilaba's doing, I know it." He pulled out the ring to make a point. The ring spun and swirled crazily in his palm, until at last, it pointed in a northwesterly direction, where the van was headed. "I know it."

The phone in his pocket buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, flipping it.

_"Hello Marik."_

***dodges flying fruit* I know I'm so sorry! It made me depressed writing this chapter too...and angry oddly enough, like I was able to channel Marik's emotions in this. But it's for the plot, I swear! Marik and Tshilaba had to have their final endgame soon enough :/**

**. . .I'm going to get a crap load of angry reviews, aren't I?**


	28. Chapter 28: The Swordsmen

Chapter 28: The Swordsmen

He decided that he would could Raphael that very night, the rather one-sided conversation with Mai sticking in his head as a nail would protrude from a board of wood, as unpleasant of a comparison that would be. It wasn't just that but rather _all _ the events since the inception of the tournament. The pieces were there, he just could not place them together in the right way that would make perfect sense. Valon reached for his phone, a very nice one, with a touch screen and a feature that would allow him to see the faces of who he was talking to—if they had the same thing, of course.

Thankfully, Raphael did.

It would be nice to see that mug of his, Valon told himself, dialing and waiting.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

She was stitching a rip in one of the coverlets of the couch cushion, when Raphael's phone vibrated on the table. Raphael wasn't in the room at the moment so she was the only one who could answer the phone. Ellie eyed the phone, reading the caller ID. It was Valon. So, setting the needle and thread aside, she reached for it and pressed the "answer" button. Valon's face appeared on the screen, smiling broadly, but the smile wasn't reaching his eyes like they normally would. Something wasn't right here.

"'Ello Ellie," Valon said, the smile fit to split his face if he wasn't careful.

"Hello Valon. How are you enjoying the tournament?"

"Well, it's sunny 'ere, that's for sure," he replied. "Real pretty too. Listen, is Raph' around? I gotta talk to 'im. It's real important."

"What is?" Raphael asked, cradling some drink or another.

"'Ey Raph'," Valon.

"Hello there Valon. It is nice to hear from you. How are you doing in the tournament?"

"Well, I made it into the top sixteen."

"Well congratulations then."

"Listen Raph', I gotta talk to you 'bout somethin'. It's real important, like _secret_ important."

"Alright then. . ." he was uneasy about the comment. Valon was almost as open around Ellie as Raphael was around her, like she was a close friend rather than just the girlfriend of his friend.

"I can take my leave. It's fine." Ellie gathered up her things, including the ripped coverlet. She took a quick glance over he shoulder. "I'll be in the dining room, alright?" Raphael nodded and she exited the room, leaving the two men to talk.

"So. . ." Valon began uneasily. "To um, start things off. . .'ave you found Alister yet?"

Raphael shook his head. "Still no sign of him. I think he's in well. . .looking for his family, whatever he has left."

"You mean the grave sites?" Raphael nodded once more.

"O'. Well then. . .guess w'o I ran into?"

". . .Do I want to guess?"

"Mai's 'ere, at the tourney."

"Mai?"

"Yea'. W'o would 'ave thought, huh?"

"Indeed."

". . .There's been all this freaky stuff 'appenin' at the tourney." Valon launched into his tale, no provocation from Raphael, which was the way Valon preferred it. Raphael was not a pressing man, pressuring Valon like it were an interrogation. "Like, people collapsin' and stuff. Kind of like w'en we used to steal people's souls, mate. One of them, this c'ick named Vivian. . .somethin', fell w'en I was duelin' 'er. I didn' mean to 'urt 'er, honest. Then a couple o' days later, _Mai _comes bargin' in my room, demandin' all these questions 'bout the Orichalcos. . .Didn't the Pharao' destroy the Orichalcos?" he asked him.

"He should have," Raphael answered after a long pause, sagging heavily in the couch cushion. "He should have," he added quietly. "I never knew of any other sources of the Orichalcos. At least, none that Dartz told me of." he added at last. If he were to begin to fathom Dartz' mind, which was like a bag full of vicious and angry cats, Dartz would have probably stashed some of the Orichalcos stones away as a squirrel hoards nuts, but where, or how, Raphael couldn't even _begin_ to guess.

Valon seemed to get the gist of the last statement. " If that's the case. . . then o' boy, looks like we're in it deep mate, if it is the Orichalcos."

"But you don't have any other evidence."

Valon shook his head. "Not yet, but I'll find it."

"Don't go on any vendettas quite yet," Raphael cautioned him. "We remember what happened last time you did."

Valon pulled a face. "Don' remind me. That was a fig't I was never gonna win, to be 'onest. But it's people's souls at stake 'ere and I ain't gonna get involved in it any more if that's the case."

"Valon, you don't know that yet."

"If you were 'ere, wouldn' you say the same thing? That it was that blasted Orichalcos."

Raphael hesitated and Valon pointed a finger. "Told you. You think it's the Orichalcos too."

"It's only a hunch."

"It's still counts."

"Only in your sense of logic." Raphael settled back onto the couch, as if a heavy weight had landed smack plumb on the middle of his shoulders. "Keep looking Valon and you'll get to the bottom of it."

"I 'ope so. Well, G'night Raph'." The screen suddenly faded to black, with the blonde man starring at the screen, wondering if what Valon said was really happening all over again. He barely survived the first bout with his soul intact, both physically and metaphorically; he wasn't prepared for the second one.

"It's that Orichalcos thing again, isn't it?" It was Ellie leaning in the frame of the door, concern etched on her face. Her brown eyes, like the eyes of the doe, seemed sad for him as one hand fiddled with an errant strand of honey hued hair, a nervous tic, but it wasn't for herself.

"Valon seems to think so," Raphael admitted slowly setting the phone back on the coffee table.

She sat next to him, placing a hand on his thigh. He unconsciously reached for it, his hand enveloping hers. "It will work out for the best, I'm sure of it."

". . .I hope so."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The next round of dueling occurred like they have before. Yugi and his friends easily swept their opponents, making it into the top sixteen. But, like with the other duels, more duelists were collapsing, with not a single cause in sight. What was worse now was that this was occurring in nearly every single duel now, not just Yugi and Joey. Kaiba, Ishizu and Mai were experiencing it as well, in addition to Rebecca and Bakura. The entire situation was growing more disturbing by the duel. The temptation of simply dropping out of the duel for the other's safety was sounding more pleasing.

But to do so would mean that Midas won in the end and they would have never found out the cause.

So, Yugi decided to keep pushing, with a heavy heart and ever increasing depression. It reminded him all to much of Battle City and the Orichalcos fiasco, where he was so despaired by what was happening that all he wanted to do was give in, if only to prevent harm from befalling on the others. But in the end, he didn't give up those times, when the darkness seemed the thickest, and he would not begin to do so now.

They were all growing disheartened, trying to keep up facades of happiness, but out of all of them, Mai was growing the most affected. To the casual observer, it was not obvious, but to those who knew her the best, it was painful to see.

Especially to Joey.

He sat at the edge of his bed, trying to work the tie around his neck, into a semblance of what was a tied tie. It however, decided otherwise, being an immense pain to work with. He wondered if a person's fingers could get into a knot, caught in the silky depths of the blasted tie. He had a crazy idea, in some effort to cheer Mai up. There were so many little restaurants and bistros around the island, that maybe, he could ask her out to an enjoyable dinner, to help cheer her up. For the full effect, he decided for the suit jacket and tie, both of which he brought just in case, at Serenity's and Tea's insistence.

"Going out to dinner?" Bakura asked, coming up behind him and Joey remembered that the young man had been hanging out in his room for most of the vacation. He must have used the room key. It was nice though, Joey had to admit, actually hanging out with Bakura, rather than trying to prevent his darker side from taking over—or destroying, depending on who you asked—the world.

Startled, he nearly fell off the bed, fingers still entangled in the tie. "Gah! Warn a guy when you're sneaking up on him!"

"I apologize. I see that you're wearing a jacket and attempting to do a tie. Going to dinner, I presume?"

Joey starred at the offending tie in the floor length mirror he was sitting in front of, before undoing the tie and tossing it to the floor. "Yeah." he admitted. "I thought I could try and cheer Mai up. She's been down in the dumps lately. I think these duels are really messing with her head."

"Ah, I see." Bakura sat in the chair closest to Joey. "So, is this a date then?"

"A date? Nah, not a date, just two friends hanging out." He paused. "Why, is it a date?"

"That would depend on what you and Mai think." Bakura replied, reaching for the book he had been reading earlier. It was a welcome release from the stress these past few days. He was rereading Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_.

"Well, I don't think it is a date," Joey told himself in the mirror. "Anyway."

"If that is the case, then why are you wearing a jacket, trying to kill yourself with a tie?" Bakura smiled behind his book.

Joey scowled at Bakura through the mirror, at his white haired friend's query. It was a pointed one, but it was better than what Tristan or Duke would have said. Far more tactful. "Well. . .I guess it is _sort of_ a date." he amended. He sighed heftily at last. "You won't say anything, will you?"

"As in pointless teasing and ribbing? No, I won't." Bakura answered, eyes still glued to his book. "But if it is just us, well then. . ." he trailed off, eyes glinting with mischievousness.

"Very funny, Bakura," Joey growled, arms crossed.

Bakura chuckled and went back to reading, watching every now and then to see Joey attempt the tie once more. After a handful more tries, he finally gave up, flinging the tie across the room, the tie flying through the air like a limp snake. "Bloody tie," Joey grumbled, taking a common phrase from his British friend.

Bakura spoke once again, once Joey began to simmer down. "I must ask though, I thought you liked her as a friend."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you're doing all this stuff, going out of your way, to merely 'cheer her up'." he pointed out. "Do you still have feelings for her?"

"'Still have'?" Joey echoed. "What makes you think I even had feelings for her in the first place?"

"I may have been possessed by an evil spirit for nearly half the time we hung out, but even I knew that you two had chemistry. Anybody could see that."

Joey's mouth opened and shut for a few moments, trying to come up with an adequate response. Unfortunately, none came to mind. So, he had to speak what was there presently. "I dunno," he admitted. "I mean, back in high school I had a crush on her, but then again, that isn't really surprising. I thought she was hot back in Duelist Kingdom, but when Battle City came around. . .well, shoot, I was willing to step in front of Ra for her. A God Card for crying out loud! And the Orichalcos. . ." he trailed off, Bakura nodding knowingly.

"Then five years came and went and I thought I was over her, ready to move on with my life, then bam! She comes right back! And now, with all this freaky stuff happening. . ."

"You don't have to remind me," Bakura interjected.

Joey flopped backwards on the bed, not caring about the jacket he was more than likely wrinkling. "I just don't know anymore."

"That, my friend, is what we call genuine confusion."

"What are you now, Dr. Phil, sitting in the chair like that?"

"What I'm saying is that you're confused about your feelings. _Very_ confused. Were we in some normal situation, well, what you would call "normal" for us, you would need to take time and sort out your feelings, but considering we're dealing with a mad man, among other things, things have gotten even more stressful for us all. I mean, have you taken a look at Yugi and Tea?"

"No kidding," Joey managed to laugh. "Those two. . .And I thought it was bad in high school."

"You should be talking."

"You dragged them into this."

"Touche." Bkaura conceded. "But my point is that it is a very confusing and stressful time for everybody. Maybe, for tonight, you and her should just leave it as you originally called it, merely two friends hanging out."

Joey sat back upright. "That would be a good idea."

"No pressure, right?"

"Right. Thanks for the advice." Joey slid off the bed, grabbing the hotel key off the credenza next to the door. Bakura merely nodded, before going back to his reading.

When the door shut behind him, he said out loud. "That, was a very convoluted and confusing conversation." He shrugged and went back to his reading. "Now, where was I? Ah yes. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It wasn't too arduous to find Mai's hotel room; after all, he had been there before, escorting her back to her room from the other night. He coughed, trying to find the right words to say. Why did this whole situation have to be so nerve-wracking, he wondered, making minute adjustments to his jacket, tugging and pulling on different parts of it. Not that he needed it; it had developed as a coping mechanism for the evening. He reached out to knock on the door, but stopped. _"I'm insane, right?" _ he thought. "Nah." He knocked on the door.

The door cracked open, revealing a very exhausted looking Mai. Her eyes looked hollow and Joey noticed thin lines under them and they weren't from aging—not that he would dare say such a thing in front of her, unless he wanted a impromptu castration right there on the spot. "Joey, what are you doing here? And what is with the jacket?"

"Well, I was um, wondering. . ." Joey petered off, wringing the bottom of the jacket. "Since there are well, restaurants around here. . ."

"You want to go to dinner."

Joey sighed, the built up tension deflating out of him rapidly. "Yeah," he trailed off.

"Then that would explain the jacket then. No tie?"

"Would you believe me if I said it tried to kill me?"

A weak smile cracked through her face, but it didn't do much to reassure Joey in the slightest. "In this case, yes." She paused, biting her lip. "And as much as I would love to go out to dinner, I. . .I'm just not up for it tonight. I'm sorry. Good night." She began to close the door, but Joey skillfully jammed his foot inside, preventing it from closing.

"What's eating at you?"

"Nothing Joesph. I'm fine. I'm just really tired, that's all."

"You do realize that I'm not going to believe that, right?" he continued before she could protest. "You're freaked out from the whole tournament, aren't you? We all are, including me. But if you just hold it all in, with nobody to talk to, it's just going to eat away at you until it completely consumes you from the inside out. Trust me, I know all about this."

His words, brusque and obtrusive as they were, seemed to crack through her facade. She leaned against the door. "It's terrifying Joey." she hugged herself. "It's it's like the Orichalcos all over again."

"I know. Here, let's come inside, before my foot is cut in half." She removed the deadbolt, allowing him inside. She took a place on the edge of the bed, while he sat next to her, close enough to offer comfort, but not so much that he made her uncomfortable. He was here as a friend, nothing more.

She fiddled with the comforter of the bed. "When it was Vivian at first, I only thought it had to be a mere coincidence, since she was dueling Valon after all. And then, all the other duelists, it's a nightmare." He could only nod as she continued, "Joey, have you ever taken anybody's soul, willingly, before?" He kept quiet, shaking his head, biting his lip. "When I was under the possession of the Orichalcos, it-" she paused. "It gave me power, a rush of adrenaline, but then, I was consumed with guilt, but by the time I could process the latter, I was off, on another mission, capturing the soul of some person or another. They began to blur together after a while. Until well. . ." she trailed off, the memory of her final duel, under the possession of the Orichalcos, springing to to mind. She said nothing though. They weren't quite there, she told herself. Maybe someday soon. . .

"So now, dueling these other duelists, seeing them collapse, it's like I'm inflicting the damage all over again, a DOMA Swordsmen once more. I wonder if Valon feels the same way," she mulled.

"Hey, it's not your fault, Mai," Joey said, trying to find something adequate to say, to comfort her in her distress. "This, I think, has gone way beyond our control. Midas is obviously the one who is doing this, we just don't know how, but we're going to find out."

She sat there, on the edge of the bed, the room feeling more lonely than ever as she turned the thoughts in her head over and over again. He had a point, but it didn't mean the pain was any less, the guilt any less there, lingering behind. "How is it Joey," she finally said. "That you can come up with, oddly enough, the more eloquent statements one moment, then act like a complete idiot the next?"

"It's a gift, I think. And a curse." he shrugged, a spark of relief in his chest. Maybe he managed to break through to her. She certainly wasn't alone in this, he knew that for certain.

"With great power comes great responsibility, I presume?"

". . .Wait, you've seen Spiderman?"

"What?"

". . .Never mind." The conversation came to a steady lull, not unpleasant nor deafening, just two friends, sitting there, each lost in their own thoughts. "So, I guess you're wanting to be alone the rest of the evening?"

"I dunno, maybe. If I dwell on it anymore, I think I'll go crazy," she admitted.

"Maybe a card game or two could help you."

"Duel Monsters, you mean."

"If you want to, or some normal card games that don't involve crazy, freaky things."

"If we played a 'normal card game', like blackjack or poker, I'd totally wipe the floor with you. I was a blackjack dealer on a casino ship."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Please. I doubt that you even_ have _ a poker face. It's bad enough, seeing you when you get a good or bad card in Duel Monsters. It's painfully obvious."

"It's not that bad!"

She smirked, her previous fears allayed. Plus, she was enjoying messing with Joey. If harassing him was an Olympic sport, she'd have a gold in it for sure. "Oh, it's bad alright. When you got Release Restraint in your duel with Rex, I thought you were going to have a litter of kittens in excitement."

"At least I don't smirk when I get a good card, like you do."

"That's because I know I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

"Now you sound like Kaiba. He smirks too."

"I think that is the closest the man can crack for a smile."

"True that. I don't think the man has _ever_ smiled."

"Maybe when Ishizu is around." She had a smug smile on her face, reminding Joey of the phrase, 'the cat who ate the canary'. Of course, as soon as this thought came up, it was immediately followed up by Sylvester the Cat. Clearly, his mind had a tendency to wander.

He was confused. "What?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I think he likes her and she likes him," she emphasized, looking very smug.

"Mai, Ishizu irritated the living daylights out of Kaiba in Battle City. What makes you think that he even _tolerates _her? The only thing he likes is Mokuba and his Blue-Eyes. And maybe kittens, but I doubt the last one."

"Women's intuition."

He snorted. " If that's the case, then your "women's intuition" is way, _waaaaay _off."

"Alright then, let's make a bet: If Ishizu and Kaiba don't go out on a date by the time this whole shebang is all over, then I'll give you five bucks."

"Just five bucks?"

"Don't push it." she snorted. " And if they do, you give me five bucks. Deal?"

"Deal." They shook hands.

"Now, about that card game. . ." she reminded him.

"The freaky kind or the non-freaky kind?"

"Let's go with the non-freaky kind. My brain is toast from the duel today."

"Mine too."

"Joesph, your brain is always toast."

He stuck a tongue out at her, sulking playfully. "Just deal the cards, alright already?"

As she reached for her her purse, where she kept a deck of normal cards—a habit lingering from her days at the casino—she couldn't help but smile. It was nice, to have a 'normal' moment, after all the insane situations that have been popping up all over the place since the tourney began.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He flipped another page of _Frankenstein_, engrossed in Mary Shelley's writing. Despite having read the novel multiple times, the story still gripped him. He always felt pity for Frankenstein's monster, always conflicted with itself—or himself—and unable to come to grips with its true feelings until the very end of its existence, forever tied with Dr. Victor Frankenstein. It had eerie similarities to his own connection with the Spirit of the Ring, one who shared a name with him.

He adjusted the bookmark in his book, eyes flickering to the digital clock sitting on the nightstand, the red numbers harsh and blaring. Just then, the door clicked and Joey wandered in.

"I trust that you had an excellent dinner date?" Ryou asked, placing the book in his lap, only after he marked his page.

"She didn't feel like going out, so we hung out, played some card games. She's practically unbeatable at poker. Maybe we should invite her over the next time we play poker."

"Oh yes, I'm sure she'd be really intrigued by the fact that we don't actually gamble, using potato chips in place of the poker ones. Real romantic indeed."

"Oh, go back to your book," Joey joked. "Dr. Phil."

"Actually, I think in a couple of years, it might be Dr. Bakura to you."

"Bah!" Joey grabbed a pile of clothes, presumably his sleepwear, and went to the bathroom to change out of his current wear. When the door shut behind him, Bakura chuckled to himself, his expression one of self-satisfaction.

"Truly, they are a match made in heaven," he told himself, before closing his book and exiting the room, to go to his own residence for the night. Maybe there would be peace and quiet, considering that Tristan and Duke decided upon themselves to play video games with Yugi. Somehow, Tristan managed to smuggle in some system or another with him. As he neared Yugi's room, the raucous laughter rang out from behind the close door.

The young man stopped and turned right back around; sleep would be elusive tonight.

At least he had Joey to tease for the evening.

** Awkwardness EVERYWHERE. The scene with Valon and Raphael was sort of shoved in there at the last minute *points finger at certain friend*, but I think it fits well in there actually. I like the idea of the DOMA Swordsmen at least remaining as friends somewhat, (Inspired by "Come Together" actually) but I think that at the same time, they still need time to heal, which is why Alister is missing from the picture. He's still trying to find that sense of peace, which concerns his friends, who haven't heard from him since the aftermath of the Orichalcos fandango. I don't think Valon nor Raphael are completely healed either, but I think that Valon is a little more easy-going and inclined to place the past behind him.**

** And for those who are eagle-eyed, Ellie or Ellie Monroe, does not belong to me. She in fact, belongs to Kohaku no Hime, who was generous enough to let me "borrow" her for a cameo or two. She has excellent stories, including "Come Together", where Ellie is found most of the time and "The Princess and the Dragon". I would highly recommend reading those two. The former has influenced my own headcanon for the DOMA Swordsmen. **

** Thanks hun!**

Oh Ryou, you wise little Briton, you. Lol. I like it when Ryou Bakura is portrayed as an intellectual in stories. He is a very intelligent and soft spoken man, from how the shows portrayed him. I don't think though that he would ever become an archeologist like his father. I think the experience he had with the Millennium Items would actually turn him away from that pursuit, in contrast to Yugi, whom I would think would embrace the career with arms wide open.

** With that, I'd like to imagine him pursuing something like literature or maybe one of the visual arts. Since he is one who works frequently with those miniature figurines, I can imagine him as an artist of some sort, preferring a career that would allow him to be alone—in the good sense—to pursue his own interests. Which is one of the reasons why I had him get a bachelors in Literature. I see him as a child obsessed with stories like _Dracula _and Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein, _maybe stemming from the early deaths of his sister and mother and maybe the undue, subconscious influence with his father, a man studying a society obsessed with death and the afterlife. I'm speaking of this not in a bizarre of creepy way, but merely making a point; after all, everybody is influenced unconsciously at points.**

** Maybe, just maybe, though, Ryou's father studied Egyptology even further following the deaths of his wife and daughter; perhaps searching for a cure or a way to contact them in some sort of twisted, half-realized fantasy.**

** . . .Blast it, stupid plot bunnies.**

** I also think that he would also go after a doctorate or master's degree, which would mean that we could indeed call him, "Dr. Bakura", should he get the former, haha.**

** . . .That my friend, is a crapton of author's notes.**


	29. Chapter 29: Change in Game Plan

Chapter 29: Change in Game Plan

**While writing the first chunk of this chapter—mainly Yugi's scene, the song, "Birth of a Hero", by the group, Two Steps from Hell, came on. Very ironic, if you care to listen to it while reading this first part**.

The next day, eliminating the final sixteen duelists to the top eight, was in essence, a repeat of the previous days events. Yugi and companions watched in horror and helplessness as their opponents, innocents bystanders to a conflict that they themselves do not comprehend, collapsed, their bodies showing only the faintest hints of life. Out of all the duelists on the island, sixty-four in total, nearly twenty were in the hospital. The hospital wing of the island was almost completely full, the beds occupied with the empty bodies of the uninjured and yet, they knew something was horribly wrong.

Whatever it was, whatever was causing it, was, at the moment, unseen and unknown. A virus of the most inhumane proportions.

There were hints of a cause, such as the way the victims acted in the aftermath and those first inflicted, but they were circumstantial evidence, tantalizing clues but that was all they were, clues. Clues that may not even be clues at all, merely the imaginative thinkings of young men and women, their fears growing to monstrous proportions.

They were profoundly affected by the duels. Those involved and survived seemed to grow more tired and reluctant to even think about a duel. Even Kaiba, stoic and inscrutable, had bags under his eyes and walked with a slower gait, like the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. Granted, the man was dealing with other things, but Yugi could sense that the duels were affecting him as well. Did he blame his own technology, as Midas had snidely suggested, or his own helplessness, like Mai did, struggling with her guilt of the past.

Everyone was profoundly affected by the duels. Ryou had grown even more quiet, burying his nose into any book, for a hope of escape from the tournament. Rebecca was becoming more sullen, almost moody. Joey was less himself, less spouting off and making remarks. Yugi himself had turned inward, perhaps in some vain hope that maybe Atem could return, give him advice on the situation at hand. He knew it was a false hope, a deflated life raft in the middle of a raging ocean. But maybe, he could learn something from it.

Somehow.

He sat on the edge of his bed, quiet, feet tapping against the side, the only noise in the room. He was mulling over the days events, wondering what tomorrow would bring. It was the quarterfinals, the final eight going at it. From what he saw from the brackets, he would face Valon, Joey would go against Ryou, Rebecca against Ishizu and Mai against Seto. All interesting match ups, if there wasn't the fear of seeing any of his friends end up in the hospital, like the other duelists. He didn't want to hurt any of his fellow companions, and he knew that they felt the same way, even Seto Kaiba, even if the CEO didn't wish to admit it.

So, then what?

"We have to find out the cause, but what is it?" he asked himself, eyes turned downward to the gap on his chest, where a familiar golden item would rest. "Atem?" he asked. "Atem, what would you do, if you were in this situation? Would you not participate, for fear of injuring the ones you care for, or continue on, determined to find the source of the darkness that seems to loom over all of us?"

"Better yet, what would I do?

"I don't want to hurt my friends," he continued, speaking to no one. "I don't think I could ever really forgive myself if I caused their pain." as he spoke, the mental images of Battle City and the Orichalcos flashed, unbidden in his mind and he hugged himself. "But I don't think that they would either, were the situation reversed. Not even Kaiba, but he would not care to admit that.

"What about you, Atem? Could you forgive yourself, not knowing the cause of their agony? I know that after the Orichalcos incident, you once told me that even if you passed on into the afterlife, the memory of our duel with Raphael could never be wiped clean off your heart or soul. But what is worse, knowing how you caused their pain, or not knowing?"

Yugi paused, something coming to mind. If the duels were to continue like they had been, then out of the eight, only one would be left standing, conscious, not in the hospital. Was this what Midas wanted, to eliminate _all _the expert duelists in the world in one fell swoop? Yugi knew without a doubt, that he would be the last one remaining, despite the stiff competition—it wasn't overconfidence that fueled this, it was faith and knowing. So, if Kaiba, Ishizu, Joey, Mai, Ryou Rebecca and Valon would be eliminated, then what? Would Yugi face off against Midas next, like how Yugi faced off against Pegasus in Duelist Kingdom, a match drawn out to the bitter end.

And if this was Midas' intention, then why?

"So many questions, so little answers," he remarked sadly to the empty space. Sometimes, when he was down, faced with adversity and despair, he would pretend he was talking to Atem, like he had when he was in high school. Except then, Atem was actually around. So far, it had worked, as he imagined what Atem would say, words of encouragement and wisdom, delivered in his manner. Tonight though, all it felt like was talking to the space around him, which seemed cold and lifeless.

There was a knock at the door and Yugi thought about not answering it. Granted, there were times, like the previous night, when he played video games with Tristan and Duke, that he could forget his troubles, if only for a short while. Tonight though, he was not in the mood, plagued by self-doubt and troubling, dark thoughts.

The pounding at the door continued, extraordinarily loud in such a quiet space. Yugi remained quiet, but at the third persistent knock, he sighed in exasperation and slid off the bed, not in the mood. At the door was not who he was expecting. It was the security guard form the yacht, the very same one who had taken their names down, much to the guard's apparent displeasure and annoyance. The guard looked the same as before, black suit and tie, sunglasses, despite being indoors. In his ear was the same earpiece and in his hand was a piece of paper, folded in half, portrait style. "Yugi Muto." he said, stumbling a bit over his last name, partially scowling, the lines in his face prominent.

"Yes, that would be me, obviously." Yugi retorted, his words more vitriolic than he intended. The security guard seemed to pay no mind and added, " Master Midas wished for you to attend the Final Eight Banquet tonight. The information is in here." He thrust the paper at him, Yugi practically snatching it out of the guard's hand, his character out of place.

Yugi scanned the paper, taking note of the time—four hours from now-and location—the hall where the breakfast buffet was held. Midas also wished for them to wear formal attire, like they had the night on the yacht. "And if I don't wish to go?" he asked, not meeting eyes with the man behind the sunglasses.

"Master Midas is not asking. He's demanding." The guard turned curtly on his hell and briskly walked away, before Yugi could come up with another remark, one less pleasing than earlier.

Yugi's hand's clenched the paper tightly, the crinkle of the invitation loud in his ears. He had no desire to continue dancing to Midas's pipe, but it was the only way to beat him at his own game.

"Very well then Midas, two can play at this game."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"You know, I don't see why you don't read in your room," Joey said, fiddling with his duel disk, It seemed to flop and stay loose on his wrist, something that could prove disastrous at the most inopportune moment. Or, at the very least, mortifying and horrifyingly embarrassing. Thankfully, he managed to smuggle in a Swiss Army knife in his luggage—not his carry-on, obviously-, so he was using the screwdriver apparatus built in it to tighten the screws for a more secure fit on his forearm.

"Well, this chair is more comfortable than the one in my room," Bakura said, not making eye-contact. He had since finished _Frankenstein _ and was reading a novel he picked up on the way to the airport in London, a novel called _The Castle of Otranto_. "And besides, Yugi wished to be alone in his room, so I'm giving his space."

"Hmm." Joey sprawled across his bed, flipping through channels, looking for something, anything, on that blank screen. There was a knock on the door, just as he got comfortable, and he reluctantly slid off the bed, grumbling something about 'poor luck'.

"Oh, look, it's you again," Joey remarked to the security guard, who stood there, stony-faced and solemn. The guard handed a piece of paper at him.

"Midas is _requesting_," he emphasized, hoping to make a point. "Your presence at the Final Eight Banquet tonight. Formal Attire." he added. Upon seeing Bakura sitting quietly towards the back of the room, the guard fished out another sip of paper. "For Ryou Bakura." he stomped off, leaving Joey baffled.

Joey wandered back inside the room, reading the paper in his hands, narrowly missing striking his knee on the corner of the room. As he handed the other invite to Bakura, he groaned, reading the line about formal attire. "More ties?" he moaned, lying back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "If I ever see another tie again, I think I'll burn it."

Bakura swiftly read through the invite, finally saying, "Well, maybe you could have Serenity or Mai do it for you." he chuckled to himself as he dodged a flying pillow from Joey, whose face was turning red as he mentioned the latter moniker.

"Bakura!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He tugged at the tie that threatened to choke him, or at the very least, cut off most of the oxygen he needed for survival. "Have I mentioned that I really, _really _ hate ties?"

Tea wanted to roll her eyes. "Yes Joey, we get it: you hate ties." Nearly all of them had worn their formal clothes from the night on the yacht. This time, both Serenity and Tea had opted to keep their hair mostly down this time, not wanting to go through the work of dressing up for a mad man. A small rebellion, but one, nonetheless.

"Maybe if you weren't squirming like a little kid at the dentist," Serenity said, adjusting the shawl around her shoulders. "Then it wouldn't take so long."

"I don't like those either."

"Dentists, or kids?" Duke joked. The banquet hall looked very enormous, considering that there was only a handful present in the hall, which included all the duelists and their guests, totaling a little more than a dozen there. Even Seto Kaiba had come, the 'hermit emerging from his cave', as Tea had once eloquently put it. Tristan bet it had been Mokuba who had persuaded him. Of course, Duke immediately took the the bet, not wanting to back down from a challenge. Kaiba managed to keep away from their little group, which had been growing since their arrival on the island.

"Well, at the moment, I guess I would say it was you. Good thing you got rid of that goatee," Joey said. He was picking at the food on his plate, most of it already gone. The banquet had been set up like a giant buffet, filled to the brim with the most high class and richest of foods, much to the boy's delight.

Serenity pulled a face. "Duke had a goatee?"

"Key word: had. It just didn't seem to fit," Duke corrected. "I _willingly_ got rid of it."

"Only after I said it looked like a hoard of caterpillars trying to mate with his face," Rebecca snorted, coming up. "He probably wasn't able to get of it fast enough after that."

"You did? Good for you!" Serenity high-fived the dueling prodigy.

"Oh snap!" Tristan chortled

Duke meanwhile, scowled. "I hate it when they gang up on me."

"I, on the other hand, love it," Tea said. "You need to be knocked down a peg or two sometimes."

"Not that frequently."

"What is Duke sulking about now?" Yugi asked.

"Caterpillars and goatees, apparently." Joey shrugged. "I wasn't really paying attention to him."

"Any word on Midas?" Tea asked Yugi, who shook his head. Since the banquet began, nobody had seen any sign of him.

"Not even the guards or personal. It would seem that he has been lurking in his office all day."

"Does this mean we can leave?"

"Not unless you wished to get disqualified, Wheeler" Kaiba said, coming up to them. Joey nearly jumped out of his suit, startled.

"I don't remember reading _that_ on the invite."

"The goon who intruded into my room told me."

"More like threatened him," Mokuba added, walking up alongside his brother.

"As well as I," Ishizu remarked coolly. "It would seem that Midas knew of my, well, behaviors during Battle City."

"Apparently, we're some sort of magnet," Joey whispered to Rebecca, who nodded.

"Good thing everybody showed up then. Even Valon's here," Mokuba pointed to the young man, who seemed out of place, but then again, so did everybody in such an enormous and opulent hall.

"Not everybody's here yet." Serenity interjected. "Mai's running a little late."

Duke shrugged. "Probably getting ready, I guess."

"For the record," Mai said, holding a clutch in one hand, the other holding up the hem of her dress. "I have twice as much hair as you do-well, Yugi might come in second, no offense—and it therefore takes twice as long to get it into place." Her hair was up in a loose bun, some errant curls brushing up against her cheekbones while the rest cascaded down her back. She wore not a violet hued dress, as many would have expected—if Duke and Tristan would have betted on it, they would have-, but it was a black one, of a slick material that seemed to hug her curves. There were tasteful silver accents along the neck line and waist.

Tea's eyes caught a sideways glance at Joey, who looked stunned, his eyes wide. She nudged him in the side. "Say something!" she hissed to him.

"Like what!"

"Like oh, gee, 'you look nice', or something like that. Do I have to coach you with everything?"

"So long as you don't pull my ear like you did that one time."

"I'll do it again if I have to."

"Fine gee!" Joey began to open his mouth to say something when the lights of the banquet dimmed and a voice boomed over the PA system.

_"If everybody could take a seat, then we may begin our little 'victory' banquet."_ It was Midas.

"'Bout time he showed up," Tristan grumbled.

As the took their seats, the Kaiba brothers keeping their distance as well as Valon, the stage at the end of the hall raised and a light shone from the floor of it. There was a hidden platform built into the floor, rising Midas out from the earth. He wore his outfit from previous, carrying his cane.

"Good evening!" he greeted loudly, only to be countered by silence. "I hope that you are having a nice time tonight, with my little feast and what not."

"Not really," Ryou said, the first time he spoke since he arrived.

Meanwhile, Joey, who managed to find a seat next to Mai, tapped her on the shoulder.

"What is it Joey?"

"You um. . .you err.. .Um, how do I put this? You, uh, look nice," he added weakly, his voice barely a whisper.

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. Just don't break your brain the next time." She winked. Joey sunk down in the chair. Serenity, who was sitting across from them, giggled, causing Joey to sink even deeper in the chair.

". . .As I'm sure, you all are wondering why you're here, of course," Midas crowed, looking like a sleazy game show host.

"To echo Bakura, not really." Yugi said.

"Yugi, what's gotten into you?" Tea whispered, surprised. "You don't sound like you

"I'm just tired of playing his little 'game'. I think it's high time we played him right back."

She nodded. "Agreed" She still was concerned about him. He just wasn't acting like himself.

". . .Well since we are celebrating your victory and advancing this far, I decided to give you a little 'treat', shall we say." Midas tapped the bottom of his cane and from the ceiling, a large screen came down. It lit up, revealing the brackets they had seen on the pamphlets. Their names were emblazoned in gold on the red background. "Remember how the brackets originally went? If we would take a look up here, we would see that Yugi Muto would face Valon Hawke, Joey Wheeler would go up against Ryou Bakura, then it would be Mai Valentine verses Seto Kaiba and Ishizu Ishtar against Rebecca Hawkins."

"I totally forgot about the brackets," Joey admitted, finally regaining his composure.

". . .But as we all know, what fun, what excitement would there be if we went into the quarterfinals, knowing full well how your opponent fought their duels. It would be an unfair advantage, don't you think? Well, I do." Midas tapped his chest with the top of his cane. "So, for a little fun, I'm going to change things up _just _ a little bit."

From across the darkened room, Yugi could see the scowl deepening on Kaiba's face. He was clearly _not_ pleased with the change in plans, having probably already planned how he was to win the duel, move by move, countering every strategy Mai had to offer.

The screen lit up, the names rapidly flickering on the screen, random letters disappearing and appearing. "I'm going to jumble up who will be dueling who. After all, what fun is there in _knowing _ your opponent? I personally like surprises myself." he laughed, a eerie sound, the noise obscured by the golden mask on his face.

The letters finally ceased their jerky, random movements, revealing the new order. Midas turned about. "Ah, so we have a winner, so to speak." he began to read them off:

"The first duel will be against Joey Wheeler and Valon Hawke.

"Then, it shall be Ishizu Ishtar and Seto Kaiba.

"After them will be Mai Valentine and Ryou Bakura.

"And last, but not least, the King of Games, Yugi Muto verses Rebecca Hawkins."

Midas looked eager at the change in plans, actually clapping his hands. "Won't this be a quarterfinals to remember? The top duelists from tournaments all over the world, coming together in a single clash? A clash of Titans, where the best shall rise, and those that lose shall fall." he raised a single eyebrow under his mask, unusual green eyes flashing in anticipation.

"The first duel will start the morning after next, at ten o'clock. I will be watching.

"And waiting."

The screen rolled back into the ceiling, as Midas disappeared once more, the hidden platform sinking into the stage, a phantom on the stage. When he at last disappeared, the lights brightened the room once more. The contestants sat in silence, mortified.

Yugi watched Joey's reaction. He sat stone faced, not saying anything. His eyes were staring off in the distance, not focusing on anything. Yugi guessed he was reliving the last duel against he soon to be foe, Valon. He himself did not know all of the facts, only that Joey had nearly been pummeled to bits, the Orichalcos duel more real than any other duel in his life, with the exception of his duel with Yami Marik and Ra. Then, he had to duel Mai, so it was like reliving two nightmares in one. Mai looked to be equally shocked, not because of her own duel, but for his.

"Joey?" Yugi finally asked. "Will you be alright?"

"Hmm?" Joey's attention was elsewhere. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Will you be okay?" Yugi reiterated.

"Yeah," he finally admitted. "I think I'll be okay." Underneath the table, Mai placed a hand on his thigh, a measure of comfort for she was the only other person, Valon aside, who knew the true horror of the duel.

Rebecca coughed, directing everybody to her. "But the real question is: will we be alright?"

**Avast! Plot Twist ahead! Raise hands if you figured Midas would pull a crazy stunt such as this *raises own hand*. He just likes screwing with everybody, methinks.**

** Oh and for those who care, the one-shot collection will be called "Tales of Atlantis". Mwee.**

**Expect the first one-shot to be around Halloween (some may know why ;D) but it may be a while before the other one-shots come after that, since a lot of them will have spoilers in them :D.**

** Also, this story **_**just**_** hit 100,000 words, in case anybody was counting lol. **


	30. Chapter 30: Opening Salvo

Chapter 30: Opening Salvo

**Now, who would have thought that this story would have reached 30 chapters and still going? *waves hand* Not me! I think it is safe to say that we blame the fillers and wannabe fillers...but what I say is psh-aw to fillers! They're just as important too! They help set up the upcoming plot!**

** Oh and as I'm sure you've noticed, I regularly exchange the first and last names of Ryou Bakura, referring him to one or the other. I do the same thing with Seto Kaiba, since this was commonly practiced in the anime. Ryou was simply referred to as 'Bakura' in the dub. But, since we know his first name, I intend to use it as well. I hope that this isn't too confusing for you guys.**

** And now, back to your regularly scheduled fic.**

Valon was alone with hit thoughts as he wandered back to the buffet, his stomach seeming to take control of his body, allowing his mind to wander. The last time he had dueled Joey, well, it hadn't been a pretty sight. Valon had recalled popping out a back tooth that had managed to pop loose during the conflict. Thankfully, the Paradius Corporation health plan hadn't fallen to pieces just yet, like everything else had, so he was able to repair the loose molar before anything worse had happened. His shoulder had also come dislocated during the clash too.

And now, he would have to relive the duel all over again. He had seen what had happened to the other duelists these past couple of days; he himself had caused some of the damage, so he wasn't entirely blameless.

He strolled up and down the buffet, looking for something that was appetizing while not too rich. Some of the items he had on his earlier plate was a bit rich for his palate. Maybe Alister or Raphael could handle it, but not him. He bumped into somebody and he looked up, finding it was Serenity.

"Oi, 'ello there," he said, putting on a smile for her sakes. "'Ow are you?"

"I'm doing well," she replied, her own smile mirroring his own. Hers was far more real than his own and it seemed to shine far brighter than the grand chandelier above them. His own smile broadened. "You look, upset." she said, suddenly concerned. "Is it the change in the quarterfinals?"

"Eh, sort of," he shrugged. "Jus' thinkin' 'bout stuff, that's all."

"Joey said that you two dueled once, a long time ago."

"What else did 'e say?"

"Nothing much more after that."

Valon practically sagged in relief. He didn't want Serenity to go rooting into his past, not liking what she found. "Oh, okay."

Serenity placed something on her plate—Valon couldn't discern what and smiled again, this one less bright than before, which made him saddened. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yea', see ya." Serenity walked away. Valon stood there a while, unsettled by the prospects of tomorrow's duel. He was quiet, until he saw Joey coming in his line of sight.

"Were you just talking to Serenity?" Joey said, growling. Serenity was right; he did act more like a babysitter than a sibling. Almost like a rabid attack dog.

"O', so that's what 'er name was," he said cheerfully. "She seemed nice, don'cha think?" At Joey's unamused expression, he continued, "And if I were talkin' to your lovely sibling' what will ya do 'bout it?" Joey said nothing, one hand clenching into a fist. Suddenly, Valon burst in laughter, slapping Joey heartily on the back. "Don' worry, ole' chum. I was only kiddin'!"

"I hope so," Joey muttered darkly.

"Well, I better get goin', I think my food's gettin' cold." Valon glanced down at his plate. "See ya in the quarterfinals!" he walked away, his mood lighter then before, probably from getting the better of Serenity's more protective sibling.

Meanwhile, Joey's brown eyes were practically boring holes into Valon's back. Mai wandered by, tapping Joey on the shoulder. "Joey, you're going to stab someone with that stare of yours."

"I think he was flirting with my sister."

"And chances are, he'll probably flirt with Tea and maybe Ishizu, if he manages to summon the courage. Valon likes to flirt with pretty girls." She told him. He frowned, a question springing unbidden to the forefront of his mind. He opened his mouth, to say what was on his mind, but clamped it back shut. He already managed to embarrass himself once and he wasn't in the mood to do it again.

"He tried flirting with me while we were in DOMA," she said, answering his unspoken question. "Key word: tried. He was a terrible flirt back then, like a Catholic schoolboy meeting a girl for the first time in his life. You don't have to worry," she winked before walking away.

"But I wasn't. . ." he started to protest, before finally throwing his free hand in the air, surrendering. "Ah forget it. It isn't like anybody is going to believe me. Maybe I should just crawl back into bed. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was late evening when he managed to stagger back to his room. The whole affair had been more awkward than watching a group of turtles run a marathon, to put it in his own, 'unique' vernacular. So, he began to unbutton the top few buttons on his dress shirt with one hand and tossing the jacket onto the bed with his other. The room was quiet and dark, reminding him of a graveyard, of night. He shook his head, wondering why he would think such morbid thoughts. So, Valon reached for a light, a lamp post closest to him. When the room was lit, he spied his Duel Disk, sitting complacently on his bed. It was, like all the other Duel Disks, custom designed for him. It looked like an extension of the armor deck he carried, blue with white and gray accents. In the center was a green orb, like the heart of the Orichalcos disks he had bore and he bore quite a few of them, known for breaking Dartz's disks a few times. A painful reminder, one that he had to see everyday as he dueled. Valon reached for it, white dress shirt forgotten, intending on moving the disk aside, so that he could actually go to sleep.

As he was moving the disk, he heard something shake loose inside the device. It rattled about and Valon froze, breath hitched, fearful that he may have broken it and on the eve of his duel with Joey, nonetheless.

So, Valon reached for a Swiss Army knife, one he carried with him since the days of his tenure with DOMA. Flipping the screwdriver implement out, he gradually popped out the screws and gingerly lifting the lower section, the underbelly of the disk, out of place. It was a complicated mess of wires and circuitry, something that Valon was sadly not too familiar with. If it were a motorcycle, he would have had it fixed within moments. He lifted the disk up, inspecting the insides at eye level. The foreign object was still rattling in there, but Valon sensed that it was in this area.

Well, that's what it sounded like, anyway.

He tilted the disk to one side, then another, determined to get the errant object out of his duel disk, while simultaneously praying that he didn't break it somehow. Then, success. A small item wriggled itself free of the labyrinthine mess of wires and circuitry and landed in the heart of his palm.

He inspected it.

"Son of a. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It would seem that _The Castle of Otranto_ had been a far more engrossing book than Ryou expected, before falling asleep in the chair in Yugi's room. Duke and Tristan had managed to crash Joey's suite—per usual—forcing Bakura to retreat back to his own room and the less comfortable chair. It wasn't much a surprise that he was a light sleeper, in a space that was not his bed, but he was much too tired to simply wander the five yards and into the much more relaxing bed. The floor creaked, besides, underneath the thick plush carpet that blanketed it and he didn't want to wake Yugi form his sleep.

He was in the throes of sleep, when there was a quiet rapping of the door. It awoke him from the beginning tendrils of dreams, jerking him away from his subconscious. He frowned, unwilling to shift himself from his seat. His eyes were drooping and his head nodded back into sleep, when the rapping came once again. This one startled him and he started, brown eyes wide and alert. "'Tis some visitor tapping at my chamber door," he quoted. "Only this, and nothing more."

He paused, wondering if the knocking would come one last time and as if to answer, there was a third round of knocking. Bakura finally stood up out of the chair, walking to the door, tired and at the moment, irritable. "Quoth the Raven "Nevermore"." he told himself. He took a furtive look over at Yugi, hoping that maybe Yugi would have the courtesy to wake up and answer it in the stead of he, but alas, it was not to be. The alarm clock read just past one in the morning. When he reached the door, he peeked through the peephole, to see Tristan and Duke, waving eagerly. They were wearing the clothes from earlier in the day, having since changed out of their formal wear.

Bakura undid the deadlock and opened the door wide. "What do you two want? Did you leave something here? And what are you doing at my doorstep at this bloody, ungodly hour?"

"We need your help." Tristan explained.

"What, did Timmy fall down the well?"

"Ha ha, very funny. No, we think that Midas is somehow rigging the tournament."

"I'm pretty sure that is what everybody else is thinking."

"Yes, but we're going to find out how." Duke added. "We figured, with your skills. . ."

"While being possessed by the Spirit of the Ring," Bakura interjected plainly, unamused that he was.

"Well, we weren't going to put it _that_ way," Tristan said, shifting awkwardly in the hallway. Duke sighed and slapped Tristan on the back of his head.

"Don't make it so painfully obvious!" Duke whispered. He turned to Bakura. "Um, sorry."

"I'm not that offended. It's a fact of life," he shrugged.

"Anyway, we figured that you could help us and somehow find out what Midas is hiding."

"And you couldn't bother Joey why?"

Tristan rolled his eyes and said, "We couldn't wake him up. It's like trying to wake up a log, except that the log talks about doughnuts, Mai and kicking Kaiba in the, well, I'm sure you get it."

"Quite." Bakura added. "You do realize that if you're caught, Yugi and Joey will get disqualified, and if I'm with you, I'll get disqualified as well."

"We won't get caught, cross my heart." Tristan made an 'X' motion across his chest, above his heart.

"That was, to put it simply, the most childish thing I've seen all day," Duke told him. "You like a Boy Scout when you do that."

"Don't insult the Boy Scouts!"

Ryou Bakura leaned against the doorway of his suite, watching the two argue in harsh whispers in the hall. Finally, he gave up. "If I agree to this cockamamie scheme, will you two stop arguing like little kids over who gets to watch what on the tellie?"

Tristan and Duke paused, turning their attention to Ryou. "Okay, so you'll join us?" Tristan asked, reminding Ryou of an eager puppy dog.

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Bakura took a look at his current wear, a simple white shirt, going past his hips and a pair of shorts. "Let me change first, and I'll join you in a few." He shut the door in their faces, rummaging in his pile of dirty laundry for something suitable. As he searched, he could be heard mumbling, "Why do I have the sense I've already done this before?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The trio crept down the hall as stealthily as they could muster. The only lights were those at the end of the hall, around the staircases and the elevator. Midas thankfully, had the courtesy to keep his electrical bill to a minimum, Bakura had thought. On orders of Bakura, they had discarded their shoes in their respective suites, to prevent the shoes from squeaking in the hallways, giving away their position. They decided to take the stairs as well, also on Bakura's orders, since the elevator was much too slow and risky. Duke had thought the Briton was too 'paranoid', but then Bakura, tired as he was, dare Duke to take the elevator and meet them on the other side. Duke had immediately changed.

The hallway where they assumed was Midas' quarters loomed in their vision and they slowed their pace. "I think this is it," Duke whispered in Bakura's ear.

"Clearly." The hallway was dark, like the others, but they could see the silhouettes of the statues that graced the length of the hallway. Muddled colors of the paintings could be seen in their vision, shadows, with the occasional pop of murky color. The only source of light was far down the hall, from underneath a door thirty-five feet down the hallway. Otherwise, everything was cloaked in shadow and gloom.

They perched behind a wall that met the hall at a ninety degree angle, their faces poking out. "What do we do now?" Tristan asked.

"Wait." Bakura started to creep down the hall, ever so slowly, towards one of the shut doors, not the one with the light emitting from underneath, but the one he was positive was Midas' office door. It didn't feel like his door, no oaken panels and golden dragon knocker, but the only way he could tell was by getting close. While Ryou had hated the years of being at the whims and fancies of the Spirit of the Ring, he had to admit, somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind, buried in his subconscious, that the control had left some indelible marks on his psyche.

Like the ability to pick locks and sneak around with no issue at all. He would not admit this to anyone, he had a very small set of lockpicking tools in his wallet, a result of the Spirit having a desire to obtain a set. That had been an interesting night, to say the very least. He hadn't given another thought to the metal tools, tucked away between a couple of ID's and some cash.

Royu managed to sneak out a few yards when one of the doors opened wide. Ryou froze, trapped behind a statue. He scrambled backwards as fast and stealthily as he could before anyone could catch a glimpse of his shadow in the hall. There was no light coming from it, a stroke of luck for the young man. He managed to crawl back behind the wall where Tristan and Duke were waiting.

"That. . .was sudden," Bakura panted, heart racing.

"Yeah, no kidding. They watched as two figures stepped out, obscured by the night's shadows. One was taller while the other was shorter. They sounded like they were arguing.

"What's the meanin' of this?" the shorter one growled, shoving something at the taller man. He had a clear accent, considered thick by some.

"You know very well the meaning of it." The other was harder to place. The voice was sibilant at times, like silk slithering across a boulder. At others, it was like there were two voices, speaking simultaneously, one deep baritone, the other not nearly as sonorous and rumbling

Tristan turned to Duke. "I think that's Valon."

"Well, there aren't very many people on the island with Australian accents."

"I ain't doin' it! Not wit' all of. . .well, this!" the shorter shadow held the item up high.

"You have no choice in the matter."

"Ya wanna bet?"

"So, who's the other voice then?" Duke whispered.

"It doesn't sound like Midas," Bakura remarked.

Tristan took a peek over Bakura's crouched body. "Yeah, but aren't we in his hall?"

"Well, actually. . .I think we made a wrong turn somewhere," Royu admitted slowly. "Unless his magnificent office door is further down the hall, but I didn't think so."

"You will become disqualified in the tourney if you refuse to participate."

The shorter of the two, presumed to be Valon, crossed their arms. "Well then, I'll be disqualified. I ain't ' this anymore."

"Is that what you want Valon Hawke, to surrender and quit while you are so close, so close to getting what your heart wants, no,_ desires_." The shorter figure remained silent. "And all you wish to do is quit? I'm saddened for you."

"I'm not goin' ta 'urt people, not like this." The shorter figure turned away, before the taller lashed out, like a serpent's bite, grabbing him on the shoulder and jerking him about. Before the figure could react, the hand went immediately to his throat, the other clasping his wrist.

The aggressor leaned in and Bakura, Tristan and Duke lost the strains of the conversation. The longer figure pulled away, leaving the other looking defeated. "I understan'." the shorter said, sounding defeated. He shoved something in his pocket. They leaned out as far as they could, to get a better view, before Duke stopped and practically flung himself to the wall, hands over his mouth and nose. Tristan and Ryou turned to him.

"What's the matter?"

"I think I'm going to sneeze." As he said that, his breath caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide in the dark, wide enough to see the scleras around those vibrant green irises.

Tristan was on the verge of pulling his hair out. "And you couldn't think of a better time so sneeze?"

"It's a mostly involuntary reflex," Ryou defended quietly. "He can't exactly help that!"

"Yeah-" Duke grabbed the front of his shirt, shoving the fabric around his nose ad he let out the sneeze that could not be contained. Muffled as it was, it still sounded like someone had dropped a crate full of cymbals in the hallway. All three of them froze, Duke looking absolutely mortified. "Sorry," he apologized around his shirt.

Meanwhile, the conversation between the two shadows ceased. Bakura happened a peek around the corner, to find the taller of the two looking about. "What was that?" he growled, two voices rumbling at once.

"We better get out of here!" Tristan murmured, panicky.

Bakura nodded rapidly. "Good idea." he got up from his prone position and the three bolted, Duke still holding his hands over his nose and mouth. Since they did not wear shoes, their long strides were muffled by the carpet, Duke grateful that they had decided to listen to Ryou's seemingly harebrained idea at the time.

They had managed to run down a pair of long hallways and across the walkway that connected the duelists' residences with the other building to it. They deemed it safe to slow down and take a breather, their hearts pounding in the chests, a flight of drums trapped inside their rib cages.

Tristan waved his hands frantically at Duke, agitated at him. "And you just_ had_ to sneeze at the good part!"

"It wasn't my fault! Like Bakura said, it was a mostly involuntary reflex!"

Bakura held his hands up in defense. "Don't drag me into this."

"Exactly, mostly!"

"Have you ever tried to hold in a sneeze! It hurts!"

"You could have tried!"

"Ahem," Ryou coughed. They ceased their argument. "Thank you. Despite our little bit of misfortune, I think that we ran across something important."

"Like Valon's planning something." Duke said, crossing his arms.

"Yes, but with who? Surely, that did not sound like Midas."

"It could have been, with a voice changer."

"Tristan, that is the second most idiotic thing I've heard in the past hour and a half."

"Either way, we'll need to warn Joey and the others in the morning," Bakura interrupted them. "This is cause for grave concern, whatever it was that just happened here."

"Agreed." Tristan looked over at Duke. "And my suggestion was not idiotic!"

"It wasn't nearly as stupid as your Boy Scout move, yes."

Bakura sighed gustily. "I give up. Good night." he left the two to their own devices, massaging the temples of his forehead in the process.

"Why and how do I get myself roped up in these crazy schemes?"

**I thought I would have the other characters have their chance to shine, kind of like their little adventures in Duelist Kingdom, lol. All of the characters will have their awesome moments in this story. Bakura's earlier remark about deja vu was indeed in reference to the episode during Duelist Kingdom, when Tristan, Tea and Bakura went cavorting about Pegasus' castle, trying to find evidence of his cheating. If I recall, Yami Bakura had wiped the incident from their memories, so of course Ryou would have feelings of deja vu about it. **

** "The Raven" poem reference was sort unintentional. When I had written 'rapped', the poem came to mind and I had Ryou Bakura quote it, for kicks and giggles. "The Raven" is one of my favorite poems, actually. The book he is reading is a real book. It is often called the very first true 'gothic fiction' novel and since I've had Bakura on the track of reading classical horror/ 'gothic' books, I figured this would be another facet to his character. I do have him as a literature major, after all, lol. He has been a very interesting character to write thus far and I seem to be coming across numerous facets of his personality that I haven't considered before. Maybe someday, I'll write a one-shot with him as the main focus.**

** Tristan and Duke banter is hilarious to write. Just' sayin'.**

** And Mai's line about 'Catholic schoolboy' is a bit of a joke, considering that according to canon, Valon was raised by a nun, so yeah. . .**


	31. Chapter 31: Onslaught

Chapter 31: Onslaught

** Since there is another duel coming up in this chapter, the duel will have a mix of both game rules and anime rules, since the series takes place post canon. Because of this, some cards' abilities will not _quite_ match up with the original description, like 'Card of Sanctity" for example.**

** And I figured that since it was my birthday, why not update on it? :D Getting reviews for B-Day presents is quite nice, don't you agree?. . .I'm still trying to figure out whether this is a subtle hint or not. . . :/**

** And holy friggin' crap...I'm now twenty-one guys. . . WOOOHHHOOOOO.*runs around in circles like a crazy person***

** I don't feel twenty-one, however...Hmmmm. . .**

The next day, a reprieve for them all, flew by in a speed that seemed to defy the Law of Relativity itself. To pass the time, Tea and Serenity had conspired to drag everybody to the lovely pale sand beaches of the island. They had begged, pleaded and cajoled and eventually, managed to get everyone on board for their little adventure. It was a nice break for them all, with the stress of the tourney looming overhead like Damocles' Sword. Mokuba, learning of the escapade, even managed to drag Seto along; however, he spent all of his time in a beach chair, typing furiously away at his computer, still seeking the identity of the man who had his precious Template Disks in his hands.

Sadly though, the day had to end, too quickly for some of them, and they now had to deal with the very first duel of the quarterfinals, Joey verses Valon. While Midas had given them a time, he had never offered a location and they were bewildered by this. So, they decided to head to the banquet hall, ready for the day, Disks strapped to their arms. Seto Kaiba was off to the side, quiet and sullen. Valon was sitting in one of the empty seats, fingers rapping the table in a steady tempo, clearly bored.

Tristan and duke sidled up to Joey. "Hey man," Tristan started, quiet. "We think Valon is planning something."

Joey was curious about this revelation. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, we were looking around, thinking that Midas might be hiding something, and we came across Valon and some stranger talking in a hall. Apparently, the two are in cahoots about something." Tristan decided to omit the part about Valon refusing to participate in an activity; he still bore a grudge against the man, since the aftermath of the Orichalcos.

"Wait, you snuck out? When?"

"Two nights ago, when you were zonked out across the bed, snoring like a bear in hibernation. Duke was in on it too."

"Hey, for the record, it was originally Tristan's idea." Duke pointed.

"And you went along with it," Tristan mentioned.

"Bakura tagged along too."

"Only because you begged." Bakura shouted from behind him.

"Anyways, the point is, Valon is up to something," Duke said. "So be careful."

"Trust me, this can't be as bad I fought him."

The banquet seemed to be silent as a grave, as they were the only ones there at the moment. "Wouldn't it be packed by now?" Tea asked, spying the rows of empty seats and tables.

"It's a little, odd," Yugi admitted.

"Only because I had them exit the hall." It was Midas, waiting for them on the stage, perched in a large chair, of dark wood and carved intricately. The man decided to go with a charcoal gray suit and blood red tie. His mask shone ad brightly as ever and the cane looked to be freshly polished as well. "Good, good, I was hoping you would decide to show up here. Thankfully, common sense took over, hmm?"

"I really, really hate that guy," Rebecca scowled, crossing her arms.

Mai agreed. "Join the club kiddo."

"And you arrived just in time." Midas took a glance at a golden pocket watch he had stowed in his jacket pocket. He tucked it away. "If you will follow me, we can get the quarterfinals well on their way." Midas smartly exited the chair—more like a throne—and briskly walked towards the very rear of the stage, the butt of the cane clicking on the wooden floor. Yugi, who was in the lead, shrugged and dutifully followed the man. He led them to the very rear wall of the hall, where a fresco depicting the tale of the Minotaur was carved in bas-relief. The fresco was large, spanning forty feet across and hewn from a dirty gray marble. With his cane, Midas pressed down in a corner of the tile under his feet while with his other hand, grasped a boulder that protruded out. He gave the carving a sharp twist to the left while simultaneously pushing it in. The fresco groaned and slowly began to split evenly down the middle. Eventually, the fresco became a set of large double doors, swinging inward in their grooves. Another room was revealed, dark, filled with wires and plumbing, the inner, ugly workings of the beautiful facade on the outside. In the very center of the room was a upraised platform, constructed of a slender oval with steel gray railings.

"Well, ain't this a fancy sight t' see," Valon whistled, breaking the silence.

"I've built better," Kaiba scoffed, snorting.

"Well, 'cuse me princess," Valon retorted.

Midas stepped on the platform, pushing aside a section of railing. "If you may," he requested.

Yugi eyed the platform suspiciously. "This looks a lot like your dueling platform in Battle City," he told Seto.

"Again, another thing he stole from me," Seto said curtly, pushing past Yugi to step on it first. Yugi sighed and followed suit. Eventually, everybody was on the platform. Midas stepped to the rear of the platform. He tapped his hand on a button while pulling down on a large switch with the other. The platform moaned to life shuddering and shaking like a monster emerging from slumber. Then, ever so slowly, the platform began to rise on hydraulic lifts in the underbelly of the stage. They rose into the air, for one story, then another and another, until they lost track of how far up they had gone. Midas turned around, going back to the controls. His long pianist fingers tapped away at a small keyboard, while manipulating a series of switches and levers.

"Would you take a look at that," Joey said, pointing to the ceiling. The ceiling above was beginning to slide into grooves, like a set of sliding doors, revealing the bright blue sky above. It was apparent that the platform was designed to fit into the hole in the roof as a key would fit into a keyhole.

The platform passed through the gaping hole, only to come to a stop. The sliding sections then encased the platform, ensuring that the platform would remain in place. The dashboard slid inside the platform, until it was like was never there in the first place. The railings did likewise.

"Whoa Seto," Mokuba said in awe of the feat of technology. "You've gotta admit, this is pretty impressive." His older brother could only harrumph, not impressed with the display of grandeur.

The finalists found themselves on the roof of the banquet hall, on what was clearly a dueling stage. There was a rectangular pavilion, protected by a burgundy canopy. There was a large throne underneath, of dark woods and velvet trappings. Carved into the wood was a scene depicting the clash of Horus and Seth, a scene that stood out in comparison to the Grecian trappings that surrounded the place. Maybe he had a soft spot for Egyptian Mythology, Yugi wondered. Many of the local civilizations had taken some of their mythos from Kemet, the land of black sand, and adapted it to their culture. It seemed odd. Midas strode over to settle himself in the throne, legs crossed, revealing black dress shoes of the finest leather, shining like the mask that encased his feet. He rested the cane to one side of his arm rest and interlaced his fingers neatly together, placing them on his lap. He settled into the luxurious throne.

"Now, let the games truly begin. If all of those not dueling will leave the field, then perhaps we can get the duels on their way. Valon Hawke, Joesph Wheeler, please take your places on the opposite ends of the platform, only after you have shuffled each others decks."

The two opponents met each other halfway on the platform, decks in hand. They exchanged them, the cards rapidly being shuffled as if the two men had been professional card dealers their entire lives. As they passed them back, Valon stuck out a hand.

"'ope to 'ave a good rematc' this time 'round," he offered. "We won' be dealin' wit' freaky rocks this time."

Joey paused for a heartbeat, before taking Valon's offer. "Yeah."

"Good luck."

"Good luck to you too." They turned and walked to the other ends of the platform, activating the duel disks as they walked. Valon and Joey turned about, their disks whirling and surging to life.

"Let's duel!"

"And may the finals begin!" Midas crowed, eager.

"I'll draw first," Valon said. "Well well, looks like it' the luck of the draw fer me, mate." He placed one monster card face down on the field, in defense mode, and placed another card in the spell and trap card slot. "Think I'll end my turn wit' one monster in defense mode an' 'nother card face down.. Let' see what you come up wit'."

Joey drew a card, seeing that it was his Panther Warrior. A decent card to start off with, even better since he had Scapegoats in his hand. "Your monster won't stand a chance against me, I'm afraid. I place my Panther Warrior in attack mode and two cards face down, to end my turn."

"Touc'e, mate. Let's see 'ere." A wide smile reached his face. "It's deja vu all over 'gain, eh?"

Meanwhile, Mai gasped, one hand covering her mouth. "Oh no."

Rebecca looked over, concerned."What's the matter Mai?"

"Valon's using his Armor deck."

Rebecca and Duke paled, recalling how Valon boldly defeated the pair soundly in a single round of play. It had been a miracle that he had decided to not use the Orichalcos. Otherwise, the pair would have found themselves with their souls gone.

"Armor deck?" Serenity was confused.

"A very violent and bloody deck," Mai explained. "Basically he goes all out, attacking the opponent physically." She hesitated, recalling the very last moments of the duel between the pair, taken place so many years ago. "It's going to be a very painful and long duel, for the both of them."

"I summon Psychic Armor 'ead! 'member this card?" Valon smiled, almost sneering, as a helm, of straight and sharp lines, blue and white, materialized around Valon's head, concealing most of his face. "Now I'll activate my defense monster, Burnin' Knuckle!" As Valon flipped the card up, the monster looked to be a blue and white gauntlet covering his entire arm. "And fer every armor monster on the field, it gets two 'undred attack points!"

"That isn't much," Joey scoffed, seeing the low attack boost.

"Not yet anyways. Not 'til I play my face down card, Armor Gravitation, whic' allows me to play four more cards: Active Guard, Over Boost, and lastly, Big Bang Blow. Ain' this a 'oot." As he spoke, his entire body, from head to toe, was covered in white and blue futuristic looking armor.

"Are you done yet?" Joey scowled.

"Nope, not at all, chum. Remember Burnin' Knuckle's little ability? Well, guess what, 'e gets a power boost ta 1000. Not enoug' to take out that nasty kitty of yers, but it'll do for now."

Joey ignored the taunt, drawing a card. As he drew, he spied the card that he had been looking for. "I summon Alligator Sword in Attack mode. Now Alligator Sword, take out his Psychic Armor Head."

"Not so fast, chum! You forgot 'bout my armor deck's ability. I can direct any of your attacks to 'nother armor piece and I choose Big Bang Blow! And w'en that 'appens, I activate its special ability! W'en it's destroyed 'n battle, all monsters are destroyed and we lose the 'mount of Life Points based off the attack points of the monsters." Joey cursed soundly, not caring at the moment that his sister was watching; Serenity always disapproved of cursing.

"That would mean that both of them lost, right?" Serenity asked, calculating the battle damage in her head.

Yugi nodded. "Yes, but I suspect that Valon has something up his sleeve."

"Course, t' lose in the openin' round would be a bit of a bore, so I activate Active Guard's ability: I can reduce all damage to my Life points to zero. You lose, W'eeler!"

Joey smirked. "So you say. I activate my trap card, Skull Dice and I use it on my Panther Warrior to reduce the damage!" A imp in black appeared, holding a red dice in his hands. He dropped the dice and it managed to land on a two, reducing Panther Warrior attack in half. He watched as both monsters, as well as Valon's armor, vanish off the field. "And now I activate Nutrient Z!" He flipped his other face down card up. "What this does is when my life points are reduced by more than two-thousand—in this case, thirty-five hundred, I add four-thousand and then subtract the damage I would have gotten. Looks like it's a draw."

Valon grimaced as he drew another card. "I summon another Psychic Armor Head and play Magical Stone Evacuation. I discard two cards and I can bring back my Armor Gravitation, whic' lets me bring back all those monsters I wiped out last turn." His graveyard glowed and the four pieces he destroyed came back on his person, encasing him once more. "I attack with Burnin' Knuckle!" Valon lunged forward, the gauntlet burning with a fiery energy. He connected with Joey's ribs and he gasped as the air was forced out of his lungs in a 'whoosh'. Valon hoped back as Joey tumbled back, clutching the left side of his torso, his Life Points dropping by a thousand.

Joey gingerly brushed his fingers against the pained side, wincing. he knew full well that the ribs there would be bruised; whether they would be broken or not was another matter entirely. He stood back upright, his side protesting. He bit his lip, unwilling to show pain. "Wasn't expecting that," he admitted, readying himself. "Alright then, I summon my Marauding Captain in Attack Mode and equip him with Legendary Sword, which gives him a boost of three hundred points. I place one card face down and end my turn."

"W'at, no attack?" Valon ribbed. "Well, I'm very disappointed. Very well then, I attack Marauding Captain wit' Burning Knuckle!" Once again, Valon charged, assaulting the soldier. Valon's own monster was destroyed, but Marauding Captain was reduced by a thousand attack points, to a mere five hundred points.

"What gives?" Joey protested, seeing his monster's attack suffer a dip on attack.

"That's Burning Knuckle's ability for ya," Valon shrugged. "I place one card face down and end my turn.

"Harrumph," he winced as another wave of pain rippled through his side. "I play my magic card, Roll of Fate! I roll a dice and for that number, I draw that many cards, but I have to discard that many from the top of my deck as well." The pair watched as a white die rolled across the field, landing on a four. "That'll do just fine," Joey said, satisfied. He drew four cards, then discarded the other four to the Graveyard. "Now we're playing fire with fire! I summon my Flame Swordsmen and then play my ritual card Red Eyes Transmigration. As long as I tribute my Red Eyes," he showed the card for emphasis. "And a warrior monster, my Marauding Captain, I can summon Lord of the Red!"

"Lord of the Red?" Tristan said. "I don't remember that card being in his deck."

"He used it once during a tournament," Rebecca answered. "I saw it on television. It's like Valon's armor monsters."

"Guess he is fighting fire with fire."

Fires enveloped the field, forcing the spectators to shield their eyes from the conflagration. They burned white hot and faded just as quickly as they flared up. Now, like Valon, Joey too was enveloped in armor, only his looked like the scales of Red Eyes Black Dragon, down to the draconic helm he wore on his head. "Snazzy, huh?" Joey joked. "Now, I get to attack your Psychic Armor Head!"

"Redirect to Active Guard!" Valon shouted, just as Joey had reached the other side of the field. Inexplicably, Joey's attack was drawn to the chest piece, shattering it into many pieces. Valon staggered back, his chest feeling like it had been caved in by the force of the assault. "And I activate it's ability, whic' means I don' lose Life Points!"

"And now I can use Flame Swordsmen to attack your Over Boost!" Flame Swordsmen swung down with his heavy blade, obliterating the greaves on his legs. Valon sunk to his knees, coughing. He spat out a glob of blood, slowly standing upright.

"Nice to know you didn' attack Psychic Armor Head. I would 'ate to keep cancelin' your attacks," Valon said with a lopsided smile. His points were whittled down to a mere 1200 points. "Looks like it's my turn again, 'uh?" He drew a card. "I play my magic card, Full Armor Gravitation." Valon drew ten cards, placing a second Active Guard on the field, another Over Boost and lastly, Jet Gauntlet. "I use my Jet Gauntlet to attack your Lord of the Red, wiping it out and a chunk of your life Points!" Both duelists met in the center of the field but Valon had the upper hand, slugging his card across his opponent's face. Joey twisted away, colliding heavily with the earth under him. Valon danced away, the Jet Gauntlet destroyed. "And t'anks to Active Guard, I lose no Life Points!" Active Guard vanished from his torso, the casualty of the fight.

Joey laid there on the ground for a moment, his vision swimming in a sea of black, his life points down to 2100. The duel was painfully similar in many ways, too many ways. The duel in the Seal was just as painful, physical in every aspect, like two boxers in the ring, battering away at each other until there was only one left standing. It was like the street brawls he and Tristan used to participate in as well. If the Orichalcos was not in play, as both Joey and Valon knew, then how were they able to inflict such agony upon each other?

He grunted, his ribs screaming in pain as he sat upright. He had bit down on his his tongue and cheek when Valon had struck him and he could taste the copper tang in his mouth as the injuries inside his mouth bled. Something on his face did not feel right, like something was rubbing on his cheekbone the wrong way. Tentatively, he felt the area around there, only to find a gash on his right cheek, dripping blood in a steady pulse. Then, he went to his nose. Valon had managed to break it, popping it out of place. The flesh was already swelling and he could taste blood on his lips.

"Well, this sucks," he grumbled, tempted to slide his nose back in place, but decided against it. He could get a professional to do it. He had already done one too many shoddy first aid procedures on himself over the years, including spending over two hours picking out glass from his back and shoulder one time. He stood up slowly, to keep from going weak at the knees.

"Ready to quit yet, W'eeler?" Valon asked.

"I should say the same for you!" Joey shouted right back. His armor was gone, leaving him vulnerable to Valon's next attack.

Meanwhile, his friends gazed in horror, the duel unfolding in a horrendous way. As they watched as Valon slugged Joey across the face, Serenity let out a mewl of panic, the blood flying away from his cheek and nose. Yugi turned to Midas, whom had been watching the duel with an indifference that bordered on cruelty.

"This has to stop Midas!" Yugi snarled, his face contorted in righteous fury.

Midas's eyes flickered to Yugi. "I'm afraid I cannot do that, Yugi Muto. Once the duel starts, it must go through until the very end."

"Is this what you want! To watch gladiator style matches, until there is no one left standing, your participants lying bleeding and unconscious at your feet! What do you make yourself out to be, some kind of _god_!"

Midas's green eyes flashed, bristling in fury at Yugi's accusation. "What _I_ do is my own business, not yours! If your moronic friend decided to knock himself out, then by all means, let him. If I were to make myself out to be some kind of god, wouldn't I have eliminated you at the very beginning, according to your unfounded and baseless accusations?

"And I don't frankly don't give a damn about what you think, Yugi Muto." Midas turned away from him, back to the duel. "Let the duel continue."

Joey looked down at his hand. It was not a horrible one, but there were cards that he could not play, just yet, really. He pulled a card out of the deck. "I place two card face down and summon my Rocket Warrior in defense mode. I end my turn." he gasped, a part of him praying that the duel would end blissfully soon. He had two monsters on the field and three face down cards.

"Well, looks like you're givin' up, eh chum?"

"Not quite. I'm just waiting for the right moment." he replied. He wanted to smile, but with a broken nose and gashed cheek, it would have been too painful.

Valon shrugged. "Suit yourself. I place Buster Pyle on the field and attack your Rocket Warrior! T'anks to Buster Pyle's ability, I don' take damage, but you get it all!" Buster Pyle, another blue and white gauntlet with thin rockets protruding from the wrist, fired off a pair of rockets at Rocket Warrior, wiping it off the field, blasting Joey down another five hundred points to sixteen hundred . The attack sent Joey staggering back a few paces and Valon's Buster Pyle was off the field.

"That's it?" Joey said in a teasing tone.

"Just waitin' on the right moment," Valon echoed.

"My move then. I activate my trap card, Graverobber, which lets me steal any card from your grave and I choose Magical Stone Evacuation!" A small man in robbery attire hoped skipped and jumped into Valon's Graveyard to pluck out his magic card, Magical Stone Evacuation. "I'm sure you know what it does, but I'm using it to bring back Red Eyes Transmigration."

"You don' 'ave Red Eyes on the field!" Valon protested.

"No, but I do have its much badder, older brother, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Duke turned to Yugi. "Is he able to do that?"

"I don't see how he can't. It's still in the Red Eyes archetype," Yugi explained.

"So, I sacrifice my Red Eyes Darkness Dragon and my Flame Swordsman to summon Lord of the Red!" The armor came back on the field once again, only this time, there were a few changes to it. Red gems studded his shoulders, chest and joints, pulsating slowly, lines branched out from the gems like veins. "I like this much better than the other armor, don't you agree?"

"Armor is armor. It ain' gonna protect you from me."

"Well, say goodbye to your Life Points!" Joey went at him again, his body enveloped with a red glow as the gems flared to life, pulsating with the rhythm of his heart pounding in his chest.

"Activate Negate Attack!" Valon swung forward with an unarmored fist, striking Joey's own fist in the center of the field. Joey seemed to stop in midair, wavering in his attack and was then sent flying back to his side of the field, tumbling side over side across the hard platform. He could feel more ribs get bruised and banged up as he landed harshly. "I'm not gonna let you win that easy.

"Now, fer the card that'll end the duel. I use another Full Armor Gravitation to bring another Big Bang Blow and Advanced Shield on the field. I play activate Monster Reborn, whic lets me bring back Jet Gauntlet and end the duel by takin' out your little dragon suit."

"Not so fast: I play my trap card, Magical Arm Shield and take control of your Psychic Armor Head!"

"No! I direct th' attack to Advanced S'ield!" Valon screamed, as the futuristic armor was ripped off his head and taken to the other side of the field, watching as both Psychic Armor Head and Jet Gauntlet were wiped off the playing field.

"Won't work this time Valon, your armor is the target of a trap card, not an attack, so say good bye to Psychic Armor Head."

Valon frowned, his plans dashed. "I end my turn."

Joey chuckled to himself, victory all but assured. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

Valon knew he was trapped in a corner, with no way out. Time had been a kind teacher to Joey and he had been able to counter nearly every move, every attack. Both had suffered mightily for it, Valon could feel his ribs bruised, maybe broken and the skin across his knuckles split and bleeding more with each attack. His legs, where the Flame Swordsman swung down, were in agony, purpling bruises just above his knees, across his thighs.

At this point, there was no way he could win: through a draw with Joey by activating Big Bang Blow's ability and wiping both of them out. He didn't know what would happen next; from what he'd seen, the loser would collapse, like Vivian. But what would happen if the both of them would go down to zero?

_"There's only one way t' find out," _he told himself, bracing the core of his being. This duel had been a blast. Joey had proven once again that he was a tenacious duelist, taking each of Valon's blow and retaliating with a fury that he hadn't seen in a while. "I attack wit' Big Bang Blow and activate its ability!" Valon roared, fist extended. Joey, eyes shadowed by the dragon helm, met him with equal force. Both thudded in the center of the field, each grappling for an advantage. "Now we bot' lose Life Points, bringin' it to a draw!

As they grappled, Joey felt something pop in his shoulder and he bellowed in pain, knowing full well that it may have just been dislocated. "Not. . .this time," Joey said in between gasps, waves of pain making it difficult to think. "I play my. . .last card: Take. . .One Chance! This allows me to draw one," he hissed sharply. "More. . .card, randomly.. . . It is, Nutrient Z!" His face broke into a smile, ever so thankful. "Looks like. . .I win." Nutrient Z activated, increasing his life points by another four thousand, before another 2400 was deducted. As a result, both were sent flying back, Valon landing hard on his back while Joey ended up on his right side.

Valon watched as his Life Points dropped to zero, leaving Joey the winner. "I gotta hand it to you, Joey," Valon said at last, a smile cracking on his face, body battered and bruised. He managed to prop himself on his knees. "That, was pretty impressive." he gasped. Suddenly, he clutched at his chest, fear striking at his very core.

He knew exactly was happening. He was to end up like the other duelists. Nothing more than an empty hollow vessel.

_"So be it. After the other night, it's what I deserve," _he told himself, before his eyes slid back into his head and he collapsed, eyes closed, a faint smile crossing his lips.

The field fell into a heavy silence, each of them too stunned by what just happened. Joey moaned one arm holding the other one, now limp at his side. Like Valon, his knuckles were bruised and bloody. His nose was now broken and his cheek sliced up, in addition to the numerous bruises, molted and overlapping across his torso. As the armor faded away in a digital rain, he glanced down, seeing the blood on the front of his shirt.

"I think...I think I'm bleeding."

** That chapter was a _dooooozzy_ to write. Seriously, it took almost three-four days to write it out and keep going back to it, making sure everything matched up right, ie, mysterious cards that randomly popped up inexplicably, lol. I hope that it shows and if there are still mistakes, inform me and I can fix them. Remember folks, I can't exactly duel very well, haha.**

** I'm also pretty positive that that was the most violent YGO scene I've written as well. The next violent could be the gun scene a few chapters ago and then maybe the scene in another story in which I had Kaiba shot in the arm. In my defense, if the show had blood in it, the previous duel between Valon and Joey would have been much more violent and bloody than this one was. Even worse would have been poor Joey towards the end of his duel with Mai. **

** Poor Joey. . .**

** I'm thinking that some fan committee out there will be thinking of taking away my license, for abusing these characters so much. They don't die, for the record. That's usually some nameless henchmen who gets it and/or an OC of mine, no canon characters...thankfully.**

I'm also fairly certain the Valon accent train crashed and burned fantastically here. It's really more of an art than I science, I think. And as for Valon's deck, it's up to you to decide whether he willing chose to use it, or was forced to use it.;)


	32. Chapter 32: Secrets Revealed

Chapter 32: Secrets Revealed

As Joey spoke, Tristan was the first to react. He thundered across the field, dragging Duke with him. "We need to get him some medical attention!" he bellowed, kneeling at Joey's side. "Can you stand?" he asked.

"I dunno," Joey admitted. Tristan placed one arm under his shoulder. Duke did likewise with the other. As they struggled to assist him off the platform, Joey screamed in pain, sinking back to the ground.

"My shoulder!" He shouted in between gasps. Duke backed away and Tristan attempted it once again, finally helping Joey to his feet, as unsteady as they were. Tristan and Duke supported him off the field.

"What about Valon?" Serenity asked, pointing, torn between her brother and him.

Yugi faced Kaiba, his ire with Midas forgotten. "Help me get Valon to the hospital wing."

Kaiba said nothing, not moving from his place. Ishizu, who had been nearby, frowned. "I'll help you, Yugi."

Same here," Tea said. The trio of them managed to lift Valon off the ground. Yugi faced Midas once more.

"We need to take the both of them to the hospital ward."

Midas waved them off with a hand, the face behind the mask impassive, showing little emotion.. "If you must. Since there will only be four duels today, I will grant a two hour reprieve in between this duel and the next. There is an elevator over there." He gestured towards the opposite end of the field, where a service building was at and presumably the elevator.

For once, Yugi was grateful for Midas' actions and nodded curtly, moving Valon's unconscious body off the field.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Sewenity, outh!" Joey protested as Serenity dabbed antiseptic on the gash on his cheek. With Valon out of the duel, the hospital ward had their hands full, tending to those who had fallen into the mysterious coma; Valon made it twenty. Because of this, the nurses, learning of Serenity's first aid skills, allowed her to tend to her brother's more minor injuries. Those on staff had popped his nose back into place in addition to tending to his shoulder. "Thath hurtsh!" his nose was swollen, tapped in an splint, making it difficult to speak normally.

"Well, if you didn't get into a slug fest, then maybe this wouldn't be happening. Now, hold still as I clean this gash. I'll have to apply some butterfly strips; normal stitches would be too much for it." Serenity told him as she worked. Butterfly stitches were different from normal stitches, in that they weren't stitches at all, but white strips, wide at each end, designed to hold together smaller injuries. They were all crowded in Valon's room, save for Kaiba and Mokuba. Seto had decided that he wouldn't 'demean' himself by hanging with the nerd herd, or so Duke said.

Joey pouted. "He stawted it." He wanted to cross his arms, but his shoulder was still on fire it seemed, and the ribs on his left side were heavily bruised, making it somewhat difficult to breathe.

"Well, I'm having to finish it." Serenity rummaged through a small kit, looking for the butterfly strips to keep the wound closed. She found the package, tugging a handful out of the packaging.

"Hey man, got you the new shirt," Tristan came in, a bundle of fabric in his hand. Since Joey's shirt had been covered in blood, he had offered to get Joey a new one from his bag back in his room.

"Thanksh." With his uninjured arm—the doctors had determined that it was not in fact dislocated, but had opted to place it in a sling for a few days, just in case—he reached out, catching the shirt deftly. "Anybody mind if I change teesh?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any ones at the moment," Mai teased, eliciting a blush from the man in the hospital chair, arm in a sling, his torso wrapped in ace bandages. The comment seemed to lighten the mood, until Rebecca spoke.

"Now what?" Rebecca asked, glancing at Valon's prone body. Various parts of the man's body were wrapped in bandages as he laid there in the hospital bed, breathing shallowly, a mask over his mouth and nose.

"I don't know," Yugi said, as Joey hissed in protest once again as Serenity finished with Joey's cheek, moving to the cuts on his hands. "Midas had proven he doesn't care about what happens to the contestants and we still don't know what's causing it."

"But we have to figure it out soon; Ishizu and Seto will be facing off in the next duel." Tea reminded them.

"I know, I know," Yugi buried his face in his hands. "But what do we do?"

"I've hadth enough of thish!" Joey said, jerking away from Serenity and hobbling to Valon's bedside.

"Joey what are you doing!" Serenity shouted, still holding the strips in one hand and a Q-tip full of antiseptic in the other. "I'm not finished!"

Joey reached for Valon's duel disk, fingers still wrapped, to undo the device from his arm. His fingers fumbled as he clumsily sought the bottom of the strap that affixed the disk to his arm. After a few moments, he finally found it and undid the strap after a few bungling attempts. Valon's disk in hand, he went back to his seat, flipping the device over. As he did so, he paused, hearing something distinctive rattling in the disk. He paused and held the device to his ear, shaking it once more. There definitely was something inside the disk, and it probably wasn't any of Kaiba's technology.

"What on earth are you doing?" Tea asked him. "Are you insane?"

"The pwoblem hash to be in the Dishk itshelf," Joey said, fishing in his pants pocket for his Swiss knife. "I'm figuwing outh whath," he had the screwdriver implement in hand ready to take apart Valon's disk, even if it took a piece at a time, even if he only had one arm available to use at the time.

"What exactly do you think you're doing with _my _duel disk Wheeler?" It was Seto Kaiba, looking every inch displeased, hovering in the doorway of the hospital room, with Mokuba right behind him, peeking out from his side.

"It ishn't yoursh," he said, nose still stuffy. "It's Valon's."

"Technically, since Midas bought them illegally, they're still mine."

"Are you seriously on that?" Tristan yelled in exasperation. "Duelists are falling left and right and you care about a stupid piece of technology!"

"This does not concern you." Seto turned to Joey. "Again, what exactly are you planning on doing?"

"He's taking it apart to see if the problem lies inside the duel disk," Rebecca said curtly, before Joey, still stuffy and tired.

"You're going to break it," Kaiba snorted, watching as Joey worked awkwardly, balancing the disk in his lap. Kaiba stomped over, snatching the disk and Swiss knife from him. "It's like trying to watch a one-armed monkey pilot a space ship."

"Let'sh shee you twy it," Joey snorted. Balancing the disk in one hand, Kaiba's long fingers deftly worked the knife into the screws, popping them out one by one. Mokuba held the loose screws, about a dozen in total. Seto removed the bottom part of the disk and handed them to Mokuba. Seto handed the disk back, but Rebecca got a hold of it before Joey could. Rebecca sat on the edge of Valon's bed, examining the disk inside and out. She could hear something in there, something loud and unusual in shape. Unfortunately, Seto's initial operation did little to remove the obstruction.

"Knife please," Mokuba took the knife from Seto and passed it. Rebecca worked at the panels that were attached to the 'blade' parts of the disk, where the cards were stored. That did not work either and Rebecca was left frustrated. So, she did the next best thing. She started to shake the disk, like getting an offending rock out of one's shoe. She patted the top part of the disk furiously hoping to jar the item out from its position. She bit her lip as she concentrated on the disk, her nose and eyes scrunched up. Then, at last, she heard something break free and it wasn't one of Seto's circuitry either. Her eyes caught something fall out, flashing in the fluorescent light of the hospital ward and landing on the linoleum.

She put Valon's disk aside and leaned down, hand reaching for the object, which seemed to had fallen just under the bed. Her fingertips grazed against the sharp smooth surfaces of the item. It certainly was not a piece of circuitry or SD card—not even the mysterious "VR" technology the new disks were rumored to have. She clenched her fist around it and retrieved it from the dusty depths of the bed's underside. She flipped her wrist over and uncurled her hand, revealing the object contained within.

There, nestled in the milky white flesh of her palm, was a little green gem, translucent, the color of sea foam green. It was no larger than half the length of her thumb, rough hewn, as if just harvested from the mine.

There was an audible gasp as everyone caught a glimpse of the object.

"No way," Tea shook her head.

Tristan added to it, his words considerably less eloquent. "No. Freaking. Way."

Serenity, curious and intrigued by the object, reached out with a hand to touch it—she had since put down her medical supplies—when Yugi's hand, quick as a serpent strike, clasped her wrist tightly.

"Don't touch it Serenity," he warned him, violet eyes dark with a fury rarely seen.

"What is it?" she asked, pulling away from his grip.

"The Orichalcos."

They sat there, quiet, watching the stone cautiously in Rebecca's hands, as if waiting for it to come to life and bite them. Joey spoke first.

"I thoughth they were all deshtwoyed."

"Apparently not."

Tea shuddered, hugging herself tightly. "But Dartz and the Leviathan were defeated, right?"

"Yes, Atem had sent the Leviathan to the Shadow Realm. I saw it myself. I felt it."

"So, how did it get here then?"

"Midas."

Ishizu decided to speak up, having been quiet the entire time. "The thief who stole the gems from our home. . .According to Marik, the gems were green, like that shade there, cut roughly like that one. Could the stones have been the Orichalcos which you speak of?"

"Maybe, I wouldn't be surprised. Dartz supposedly went to Egypt during the time of Atem's reign."

"The good news is that we found out what was causing everybody to collapse," Mai said.

Yugi took his gaze off the stone for only a moment to reply to Mai. "But I thought that you had to have both the Seal card and the stone."

"Well. . ." Mai hesitated, looking away, one arm rubbing the other in an unsure gesture. "That's not _quite_ true."

"What do you mean?"

"Dartz had studied the stone for thousands of years, unlocking its powers, or so Raphael had told me once. He was able, at times, to activate the powers of the stone, without the need of the card, as long as he knew where the stone was and had the strength to do so. From what Raphael had said, Dartz could go into a 'magic circle' and choose which stones to activate, but the gesture took a lot of time and energy and it was better to have what he called 'localized control', which was when one of the Swordsmen would have both the Seal and stone."

"So what you're saying is," Ishizu interjected, choosing her words carefully. "Is that the stone was the true power, but because it is raw and untamed, it requires a magic circle to contain the energies in a controlled manner, to be manipulated at will by the person who first initiated the circle." She snapped her fingers. "I understand it now! It's based off the magical principle of containment." At the befuddled looks on everybody's faces, including Seto's, she continued. "Magic is a raw force that exists in nature. It is wild and unruly, no matter what form it is, whether it is this Orichalcos you speak of, elemental magic or magic of the Shadow Realm, _Duat,_ as we call it_. _In order to master magic, one must have a way to channel the magic, sometimes through an item or containing force. That was what the Millennium Items were, essentially, external _loci_ to channel the magic of _Duat_. The Seal must have been created to act as an external barrier to entrap the magic of the Orichalcos stone within. Tell me: when you dueled with the Seal, was the stone always inside it?"

Mai nodded immediately. "Always. The Seal couldn't work without it."

"Then there we go. The Seal was an external _locus _to prevent the magical energies of the stone from escaping and causing havoc."

"Would that be why we couldn't escape from the Seal as well?" Yugi asked. "Until the duel was over."

"It sounds like the magic circle acted as both a metaphysical and physical barrier then. The duel acted as a trigger for the magic circle to be activated and by ending the duel, the spell was released then. In ancient Egypt, the idea of the magic circle was originally conceived to keep the beasts of_ Duat_ and of chaos out as the priests worked their magic. When a magic circle was activated with a trigger word, the priest could not exit the circle, nor could anyone enter the circle, unless the person had a specific word to break the ward around the circle. This was often a ritual phrase or gesture, since a person's movements can funnel and focus the raw magic as well."

"So, to explain, was that how Valon was able to take Vivian's soul away, without using this Seal then?" Ryou asked. "Because it's now painfully obvious that these people here have had their souls taken away."

"Exactly. Valon's disk must have been acting as an item of focus to funnel the power out in a certain way."

"And those who have lost their souls these past few days, did they have the stone, or did we?" Yugi asked, bringing up an uncomfortable topic of discussion.

"We'd have to find out somehow," Tea replied

Duke shook his head. "Like we'll have enough time to examine every single duel disks these poor kids have, looking for a little green rock. Even less so since Ishizu and Kaiba duel next. If either of them have the stone, then they're in trouble. Heck, we're all in trouble if the Orichalcos is back."

"Sounds like we'll need to break into all the disks to see if the Orichalcos is in them, Ishizu and Kaiba's right away," Rebecca said, looking at the clock on her phone. "Since they duel oh, in about twenty-thirty minutes."

"Looksh like we bettew get cwackin' then," Joey said. "Youw dishk, pleashe." He gestured to Ishizu. Ishizu turned her wrist over, undoing the strap on her arm. She gracefully slid the disk off, passing it off to Joey before Rebecca got a hold of it.

"Why don't I do it," Rebecca said. "Because as far we know, we may be breaking the disk while extracting the stones.

"Then let's see if Valon's works." Mokuba replaced all the screws and removed panels of Valon's disk as Rebecca removed the ones off of Ishizu. Mokuba strapped the disk to his wrist, and then turned on a button, located just on the underside of the core of the disk. The disk didn't activate like it should have. "That's funny. It should have turned on, like a regular disk."

Seto eyed the disk. "That's because Midas deactivates the disks of the losers, remember Mokuba?"

"Right, I forgot big brother."

"Then we'll have to do one of ours then," Mai said, sliding the disk off her arm. "Do mine first.

They looked at her like she was possessed, Joey most of all. "Mai, whath awe you doin'?"

"Look. I already messed up once big time with these little things. I won't let it happen again, not with so much on the line," she looked around. "And if that means that my disk no longer works and I can't compete, then fine, I'll be happy with that. It's something I can live with. Not doing this though, is something I can't."

"I highly doubt that the disk will not work, even with the tampering you're doing, Ms. Valentine," Seto snorted. "The disks are designed to work, even with your little games of Operation. What I'm not happy with is the fact that Midas purposefully tampered with the inner workings of the Template Disks, which is not allowed, according to the contract you agree to when you buy them."

"I don't think Midas gives a rip about that, Kaiba," Yugi said. "He certainly didn't care when Joey and Valon were brawling on the field."

"I shaid he shtawted it," Joey protested.

"Ahem," Rebecca coughed. "While you were bickering over how we were going to break your precious duel disk, I managed to extract the Orichalcos stone from Ishizu's disk. See?" she held up the slender stone in the air, trapped between her thumb and forefinger. "And got the disk put together again. Here Ishizu, try it on and see if it works."

Ishizu graciously took the item from Rebecca, strapping it to her arm. The room watched with baited breath as she pressed the button that turned the disk on. There was silence for a pensive heartbeat, but then the disk whirled to life, the disk glowing and the life point numbers flashing in the core of the disk. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew, glad to know that it works," Tristan said, taking solace in the fact that for the first time since the tournament began, they had an upper hand on Midas.

"Yes. Now, your disk, Kaiba." Seto glared at Rebecca, taciturn, his lips set in a firm thin line. "Kaiba, I need you duel disk."

"My disk does not need your little operation, Hawkins."

"You're kidding me, right?" Mai asked, incredulous. "You won't do this because you're worried about the disk? You have got to be the most selfish, uncaring man I have ever met! There is so much at stake here, and I'm not just talking about your little toys! Surely you don't remember what it was like, to have your soul ripped out of your own body, not under your control. Well, I certainly do. It was the most painful, agonizing sensation I've ever felt. You're helpless to save yourself, feeling like your body is being ripped in two, even though you know full well that it isn't. Then, all you feel is the cold, the emptiness as you realize that your mind, your spirit is locked away like a collector's prize, while your body languishes under some fluorescent lights.

"And you're willing to inflict that pain one somebody, on Ishizu of all people! And what would happen if you lost? Would you be willing to go through that agony, again? Remember Duelist Kingdom, Seto Kaiba? When Pegasus sealed your spirit away, just for kicks and giggles."

"If you think I even begin to believe this whole 'soul stealing' thing," Kaiba snarled, porcelain face showing emotion. "Then you must have stuck around the nerd herd far longer than is healthy." He sneered, but his words had a hollow tone to them, like someone striking a bell, expecting a sonorous sound, but getting nothing in the end. His face spoke one way, but his eyes spoke whole volumes. There were flickers of doubt racing through those blue irises, as if recalling those horrendous memories, of dueling Pegasus, then Dartz, that much later. Unpleasant sensations they were. Maybe Kaiba was starting to believe, Mai thought to herself.

"Very well Seto Kaiba, if you decide to shrug this argument off," Yugi jumped in, before Mai could rip Kaib'a head off with her bare hands; he could see her fists at her side, trembling with rage and pain. Those memories were still very real to her. "Then listen to a more practical one: are you willing to let Midas win? To allow him to tamper with your duel disks, as you claim they are, in such a way that it violates the very infrastructure of the disk itself?"

"Don't twist my words about, Yugi Muto." It was a very mild protest, but still one nonetheless.

"I'm not, I'm merely making a point."

Mokuba turned to Kaiba. " Please Seto, listen to them. They're both right about this. I don't you to lose your soul in the tournament. I already had to deal with it once, when you and the Pharaoh dueled Dartz."

Kaiba stopped, fingers tapping against his sleeve in a slow and steady tattoo. "If only to get you off my back."

Rebecca reached out."Good. Now, disk please."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He settled back in seat, feeling a self satisfaction unlike any other. His plan was working marvelously, the first of the duelists in the quarterfinals to fall. Granted, Midas was not expecting Valon to be the one to fall first, but in the end, he should not have been surprised.

Besides, he'll get Wheeler's soul in the end.

First, it would be Renewal.

Then, it would be Justice or Wisdom, he did not care either one.

And once the tourney was finished, he would have the last one standing.

He would have effectively wiped out any chance they had of defeating them. It would be like eliminating all the chess pieces on the field, save for the king, in which Midas would then take delicious pleasure of wiping out.

He fiddled idly with the top of his cane, a smug expression under his mask, the ruined flash tugging at the corners of his mouth, a pain he had gotten used to a very long time ago. It was a pleasure he hadn't felt in hundreds of years, not since he uncovered some ancient ruins in Turkey in the 1600's, seeking a certain weapon.

He took an idle glance at the pocket watch. It was almost time up for Yugi and his little band of friends, and if they were to arrive late, well then, he would disqualify them. Unfortunately, that would mean that he would lose the opportunity for two more souls. So, he made the decision to wave the penalty off.

Sometimes, it was alright to grant small mercies on your foes.

Within the next few minutes, they had arrived, Wheeler sufficiently bandaged up, his nose in a splint and his right arm in a blue and white soft sling. He seemed to suffer more than Midas had expected. _"Oh well," _the man thought, shifting his position in his seat as Ishizu Ishtar and Seto Kaiba took the field. He prayed that Seto Kaiba would win the duel, just to prove a point to the smug Ishtar, who managed to make him look like a fool on the yacht those few nights ago, which felt like an eternity.

The duel flew by faster than Midas expected, each of them giving their all. A game of holographic chess, he deemed. Better yet, a game of _go, _where a simple move could change the entire face of the game table. He liked _go_ much better than chess. He even enjoyed _senet _as well, for he had played it back in its hey day in Egypt. The duel was turning out to be much more entertaining than the previous duel, which was crass and unrefined, nothing more than a common street brawl using KaibaCorp technology.

Then, there was an abrupt turnaround in the game, when Kaiba managed to place his Blue Eyes on the field in a matter of moments, leaving Ishizu highly vulnerable to attack. The first two assaults on her life points were made in vain, as she managed to pull off trap cards, but on the third, the monster obliterated the rest of her Life Points, a near replica of the results from the duel at Battle City, where Ishizu managed to beguile Kaiba with the powers of her Millennium Necklace.

He leaned forward in his seat, eager to watch Ms. Ishtar fall, her cause unknown to the simpleton fools watching in horror. The Life Point counter clicked to zero. He waited for one beat, then another, expecting Ishizu to sink to her knees, eyes closed as her soul was drained from her mortal coil.

But nothing happened. She was still standing, hearty and hale, face flushed with the beat of life.

What was happening?

Midas grimaced at the cane in hand, panic settling. He muttered a quiet word, expecting the stone at the heart of the disk to flare to life, but nothing happened. The words were just it, just simple words, sounds pouring from his mouth.

His fingers clenched around the staff, feeling the grain under them. It was either a fluke, a simple accident-

-Or something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

His heart thudded in his chest, making a sickening realization.

They had discovered the source of his power: the Orichalcos.

"_Very well then,"_ he told himself, in a false reassurance. _"You may have discovered one of my secrets, but you will not discover them all._ _I have plenty of moves, plenty of maneuvers to make, to pin you, trap you, like helpless animals in a snare._

_ "You may have won the battle, but I will win the war."_

** In the first draft, Joey's shoulder was actually supposed to be dislocated, but as I did research into the subject, to ensure accuracy, I realized that having on would be too much of an inconvenience for him. Had it been dislocated, he would have had to wear the sling for six-eight weeks and you can't exactly save the world with one limb hindered now can you? **

** And yay for Ishizu's magick-babble ahaha.**

** That is all.**


	33. Chapter 33: Retribution

Chapter 33: Retribution

**The original title for this chapter was "retaliation", but after writing the chapter, I decided that it was too "light" of a word choice, considering what just happened.**

** Also, I would like to dedicate this chapter to one of my closest FFN friends, Kohaku no Hime, as sort of a "graduation gift" of sorts, since she is graduating from college. So wish her a very hearty congrats to her! :D**

*******READ***** There was a VERY big mistake made. Chapter 45 was accidentally published in the place of this, which means that oodles of spoilers were probably revealed by accident. I PROFUSELY apologize for this mistake and I hope that there were not too many spoilers in there. :/ *hangs head in shame***

He knelt there in the busy street, his face slack and in disbelief, barely hearing the voice on the other end of the phone. Aaron and Odion had to almost forcibly drag him off the street, before he was run over by a vehicle or animal. At last, he spoke, voice hollow but full of anger. "Tshilaba."

_"Hello Marik,"_ she purred. _"I trust that you're doing well, I hope. I fairly positive that Gurimo isn't, considering that you're using his cell phone."_

"What do you want with me!" he shouted into the phone. "What did you do with her!"

_"Ah, so she did mean something to you. Good, I have a pawn then."_

"She didn't do anything! She was innocent! It's me you want!"

_"Of course it's you I want, but it is much easier to do it this way. And more fun."_

"What do you want?" he growled, punctuating his words through gritted teeth, fingers tightening their grip around the cell phone he had purloined.

_"You know exactly what I want Marik. I want a duel with you, to settle this one for all. And if you win, maybe I'll be nice and surrender the items I have in my possession, your lover included."_

"Okay, I'll play this little game of your Tshilaba," Marik drew out the last syllables of her former name, eliciting a growl on the other line. "Where and when?"

_"Three hours from now, at seven pm, on the roof of the Marrakesh Warehouse." _she hung up abruptly.

"What did she want?" Odion asked, one hand on Marik's shoulder.

"She wants a duel, at seven tonight, on the roof of some warehouse called Marrakesh."

"Seem simple enough," Aaron mused, voice steady and reassuring as he reached for his cell phone, one with built in internet. He typed in the name of the warehouse and the city, pulling up a map within minutes. "It's on the northwestern side of town, in a, let's shall we say, "unpleasant" area."

"That's not surprising," Odion said. "The location would be one for suit Tshilaba's needs. What about Sivya?"

"She said if I win, she'll give her location," Marik answered, clenching a fist as he recalled Tshilaba's deal. "But," he added, a dark twinkle in his eye, one that made Odion shudder. "We can get ahead of Tshilaba's game."

Aaron cocked a quizzical eyebrow. "And how do you propose that?"

"Simple: we find Sivya before Tshilaba finds out."

"You're thinking with magic," Odion finished.

"Bingo. Aaron, there's an abandoned building nearby, correct?"

Aaron went back to his smart phone, typing something on the touch screen, before coming up with an answer. "There's one about a couple of miles from here."

"Good. Let's get going."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

They maneuvered the vehicle down narrow alleys and behind buildings, where they located the abandoned building. It was nothing more than a small warehouse, with a low, squat roof and an airy inside, where whatever it was was stored, until shipped to various areas. With the ease of a master thief, Marik picked the padlock barring all visitors from entering, with the assistance of a lockpicking kit Aaron carried as part of his arsenal.

The warehouse was musty, with the faint aroma of old spices and age permeating their nostrils. Everything was covered liberally with a thick layer of dust. When they slammed the door behind them, the dust stirred with the gust of wind, causing outbursts of coughing fits from the three of them. In his hand, Marik carried a small drawstring pouch, brown and worn from years of use and wear. In the other, he found Sivya's _rhaita_ in amongst her things and he deemed it worthy for his spell. He found a clear area towards the center of the lot and knelt, blowing the years of dust off the solid cement floor, making a suitable workspace. In silence, he pulled out a piece of chalk, white, from the pouch and counting off the paces, began to draw a circle with a diameter of fifteen feet across. It was a perfect circle, drawn with a deft and steady hand. He had many years to practice his own creation, after all.

Then, he knelt and along the outer rim of the circle, began to draw the specific hieroglyphics needed for the spell. These were words of sealing and protection, intermingled with the task at hand, seeking out Sivya and her location.

Aaron watched in rapt fascination as Marik worked with a practiced ease of a professional, one who had done this numerous times. "What exactly is he doing?" he wondered out loud.

"Magic," Odion explained.

"I don't recall magic being worked like that before," Aaron remarked in wonder, recalling the many incidents where Ishizu had worked magic via her Millennium Necklace.

"That's because this is my own idea," Marik clarified. "Magic is, in a simple word, energy. It is all around us, and like the principle of matter and energy, it cannot be created, nor destroyed. It just is; however, just because it is easily accessible to a few, it does not mean that it can be easily controlled. The magic you witnessed was magic accessed through the realm of_ Duat_, essentially the ancient Egyptian underworld. Both Ishizu and I, as well as the other bearers of the Items, were able to use the powers of _Duat_ through the Items, a _loci_ if you will. By accessing _Duat _though, we inherited the dangers of the beasts of chaos, shadow monsters.That is the primary reason for the circle, to keep the forces of chaos at bay. The circle also serves as its own _locus_, channeling and funneling the magical energies to a usable force.

"So, by creating the circle, inscribing the proper hieroglyphics, I can focus the magic to seek out Sivya, basically transmitting her location to us like a radio wave. Then, I'll transfer the power to a personal item of hers, this _rhaita_, which will act as a divining rod. That way, we can find her within a short while, assuming. . ." he trailed off, his mind wandering to area where it probably should not have gone. His fingers fumbled and the chalk nearly slipped from his hands. He froze, looking down at the hieroglyphic, frightened that somehow, he botched the pictograph and would have to erase and write it anew. He breathed in relief, seeing that it had not been disturbed. He forcibly pushed the thoughts aside, going back to his work. When he finished the first ring of pictographs, he drew another concentric circle around it, sealing it it. He gingerly stepped over the already written lines, careful to not disturb his previous work. He wrote another series of hieroglyphics, different ones, but they had the same purpose as those written before them: spells of protection, seeking and locating. Then, Marik too, sealed those in with a third ring and finally, did the final lines of hieroglyphics, effectively protecting them from anything dark and wicked coming their way, drawn by the lure of magic.

Marik stepped back inside and continued working, drawing a seven point star inside, representing both the Millennium Items and simply, the power of seven. According to many numerologies, seven was a powerful number, representing the symbol of completion. Three was also an important number, which was why he did three rings.

He pulled out seven cones of incense, of myrrh, frankincense and _kapet_ and placed them at each of the seven point lighting them. He placed the _rhaita _in the center of the many pointed star, the flute in line with north and south.At last, he stripped his shirt off, a symbol of purification, and tossed it out of the ring, far enough away as to not disturb the markings.

"In order for this spell to work to its fullest capacity, I need both of you with me, inside the circle."

"Both of us?" Aaron practically squeaked.

"Yes. Since I cannot be the one to locate Sivya in person, I'll need one of you to seek her out. I'll have to fine tune the spell, so that I can transfer the powers of the location spell to one of you."

"I'm sorry Marik, but I will not allow you to fight Tshilaba alone, not with the tricks we have seen her pull in the past few days," Odion said, firm and vehement.

"Then I'll take the responsibility of finding Sivya," Aaron bowed slightly. "I promise that I'll find her safe and sound."

"Thank you. Ishizu could not have picked a better person to help us," Marik admitted, seeing a slight flush rush to Aaron's cheeks.

"I'm glad I could help."

Marik went back to the circle at hand. "Now, since I am the one who created the circle, only I am allowed inside the circle, so in order for you to assist me, I'll have you repeat these words to me: 'I seek permission to enter inside the circle, Magician Marik Ishtar of the Ishtar clan.' Then, I allow permission and you then step inside the circle, and avoid touching the circle. Since I'll be transferring the powers of the spell to you, you have to enter first."

Aaron hesitated, eying the circle. His fingers went to grip the Star of David necklace he wore around his neck, a gift from his grandfather when he was a young man, first training for the Mossad. It seemed unnatural, to be a willing participant in these matters, he told himself. But, if what Marik had said, then magic is merely a neutral entity in the world, energy and all things were created by God, then should that not mean that magic was created by God and therefore, good? But as he had been taught, magic was a creation of darkness, practiced by heretics. It was a flurry of conflicting emotions, but it was to save the life of another, so, he swallowed, determined to bring this up with his rabbi once this whole adventure was over, if only for peace of mind.

"I seek permission to enter inside the circle, Magician Marik Ishtar of the Ishtar clan." he said, the words coming out easier than he expected.

"Permission is granted, Aaron Levi."

The weight of the world seemingly lifted off his shoulders, Aaron tentatively entered the circle, one step at a time. There was a slight pressure as he entered, like he was walking through a wall of force. The moment he fully entered, he swore he heard a slight 'pop', possibly from the feeling of pressure he felt.

"It's a normal phenomenon," Marik shrugged, seeing Aaron's marked confusion when he came inside. "You get used to it. Now, place your left hand on my left shoulder. The left hand side was very important to the Egyptians, because that was where the heart, the body of thought supposedly, is located." Aaron nodded wordlessly and Marik felt his hand settle into place. Odion then repeated the very same words Aaron had to and again, Marik allowed permission for Odion to enter inside the boundaries of the circle. Odion then did likewise, placing a hand on Aaron's shoulder.

Once everyone was settled into place, Marik nodded. "Now we may begin." He closed his eyes, whispering the spell that would ask the gods' shelter from the forces of chaos. Aaron shuddered as he saw the rings glow softly, before fading away. It was an unusual feeling, to be involved in such business. Something like a gun was physical, real; he could hold onto it and use it to devastating results. Same thing with a knife, a vehicle and even his hands and feet as he practiced Krav Maga, the Jewish art of self protection. But this, this was in another realm altogether, of things unseen and hidden, but they could be felt and heard, like the wind, the voice of God.

Marik's voice was imperceptible and incomprehensible as Aaron stood there, frozen in place, watching magic at work. He surmised that the young man was speaking in ancient Egyptian, for the syllables and consonants were nothing like Aaron had ever heard. The warehouse darkened as the forces of chaos, as Marik had predicted, came swarming to the circle, as moths would be lured to a flame. They were shadowy and wispy in form, transparent and solid all at once. Some were sleek and long in body, baring fangs that could easily be longer than his knife. Some were human like in shape, impish, chattering and squealing away as they assaulted the barriers that protected them; others were bulky, their bodies built of solid masses of muscles. Aaron's hand grew icy in fear, seeing things that he was positive would haunt his dreams later.

_"Please God,"_ he feverishly prayed. _"Let me see this through, let me survive. I promise that I'll never ever violate our traditions ever again. I'll do everything my rabbi wishes me to do. Shoot, I'll __even get married, like my poor mother wants, if you let me live. Please, oh please let me live. . ."_

"Aaron," Odion's voice cut through his prayers like a searing knife. "You must will your energy through Marik, to give him strength to complete the spell. I will do the same, willing my energy through you, where you will then funnel it to Marik."

Aaron gave an imperceptible nod and closed his eyes, prayers forgotten as he imagined his energy, his life energy, as a river, a common image. He pictured it flowing down his arm, through the blood vessels like flood waters breaking a dam. He willed it through his fingertips, his left ones, into Marik's own person, into his heart. It was a silly thing to imagine, should a normal sane person attempt this, but after spending this much time dealing with the antics and eccentricities of the Ishtar clan, this was normal.

The Mossad agent could sense a dip of energy, willing it away to the body of another. It was tiring, sweat trickling down his face, into his eyes and mouth, salty rivers. He was shored up by Odion, whom, like he, was also channeling his life's energy, only for Aaron to shuttle it to Marik. It felt like a eternity, to stand like this, frozen, as your own body threatened to give in, but the force of the spell was keeping him upright.

Tempted, he peeked one eye open, to see the shadow creatures, those forces of chaos, still hammering away at the barriers of the multi-layered spell, hissing and crying out in frustration as they attempted, in vain, to gain a foothold and devour them all. The noises they made were harsh and screaming at times, at others, like the pitiful mews of a kitten. He took a glance at Marik, whose hands were hovering over the _rhaita_. The flute was spinning ans twirling in mid air, just under Marik's splayed fingers, glowing with a soft silver light, gaining intensity as time passed. The flute spun faster and faster as Marik's voice rose and fell in cadence, no longer sounding like himself. It was deeper, more sonorous, as his will was worked through the language of his ancestors, funneling the magical energies to a mere flute.

Then, just as voice grew to a crescendo and the flute under his hands was spinning and glowing like a miniature sun, he faded away, the flute ceasing in midair, the silver light dying, winking out. The energy drain was proving too much for the Mossad agent and he slowly sank to his knees, his muscles cramping and twitching, heart thundering in his ribcage, breath coming out in staggered gasps. He maintained his iron grip on Marik's shoulder and in his fogy state, wondered if somehow, he managed to find a nerve point, actually inflicting pain on the young man.

He watched, blackness creeping in his vision, as the monsters surrounding them, laying siege to the circle, began to edge away in retreat, to be one with the shadows once more, no longer a threat.

_"Thank you,"_ he praised, sagging in defeat, closing his eyes, wanting nothing more than a nap and maybe a very large meal. It would seem that magic casting burned calories like nobody's business.

Marik managed to extricate himself from Aaron's sturdy grip, wondering if the man's fingers would leave bruises the next morning.

"It's over," Marik gasped, sitting upright. "We did it. I managed to find Sivya _and_ found a way to allow you to use it as well."

"That's fine and dandy, but wow, does this take a lot out of you," Aaron conceded.

"It was much easier with the Millennium Rod," Marik said. He picked up the _rhaita_, looking as innocent as ever, and passing it off to Aaron. "Now to use the spell, all you need to do is concentrate on it. The _rhaita s_hould recognize that you're the holder of the spell and allow you access. Then, should you need to check your location in comparison to Sivya's and point you in the right direction.

"Okay then." Aaron placed the flute in the palm of one hand, the other hovering just above it. He stared at the item, as Marik had instructed, concentrating on the item. At first, there was nothing, but then it began to rise slowly in the air, wobbling slightly. The mouthpiece pointed in a northerly direction. "It worked," Aaron said, awed. "This stuff really does work."

"Told you." Marik stood up, knees threatening to buckle but by sheer force of will, managed to stay upright. He swiped the chalk dust off his pants and hands, putting out the incense cones one by one. "Now, we need to get going." He took a look at Gurimo's phone. "We got about a hour and a half to meet up with Tshilaba and get back all she stole from us. _Including Sivya._"

** Marik's on a warpath here folks. Never ever, mess with that man's friends and family. You'll probably end up on a one way ticket to the afterlife of your choosing, and it won't be a happy one either.**

** And for those curious, I have uncovered what I dub, "The Unification Theory of Science Fiction and Fantasy". It is essentially built on the principle of magic, which is in pretty much in every major sphere of fantasy and science fiction. Magic is energy, nothing more nothing less. It is everywhere and those who are able to 'sense' it can use it. Spells, gestures and items are machines. As machines in the modern world harness energy, these things harness the magic and put it to good use. One can even apply the unification theory to Star Wars (the Force) and ATLA and LOK (benders are genetically able to naturally harness the energy and convert it to bending, manipulating their surroundings). Think of every single series that uses magic and the basic principles are there.**

** Somehow, I think Jim Butcher had something to do it. _You_ know what I'm talking about, roffle. (Yes, I'm talking to you :D )**


	34. Chapter 34 Duel in the Dark

Chapter 34: Duel in the Dark

** I should probably be smacked upside the head for taking so long to update. . .I apologize for the wait though, and I blame it wholeheartedly on my college finals, which pretty much took up all of my available time for the past two weeks. Then, I got an apothecary cabinet and had to do a bunch of cleaning/organizing in my room to put it in there. For those who are curious, an apothecary cabinet is essentially a desk/cabinet hybrid with a crapton of drawers, from big ones to little ones. Back in the old days, herbalists would own apothecary cabinets to store their supplies to make their medicines. I'm not sure how frequently these things are built, but I know the one I received is fairly old; it needs a bit of TLC, but not too much. It's in pretty good shape.**

** . . .I highly doubt this excuses me though :/. Whoops.**

** Throughout the reading of this chapter, you'll notice that the spelling of Tshilaba's/Tabitha's name will switch back and forth. This is not unintentional. If you look at the context of the spellings, you'll see that she will be referred to her changed name "Tabitha" when she is talking, or the scene switches to her. "Tshilaba" is used when Marik or Odion are the focus of the scene. It makes sense when you think about it. **

** Sort of.**

** Maybe.**

** Eh. *shrugs***

A short distance away and a few hours later, Aaron pulled the jeep into a nearby alleyway, narrow, but empty. It was only a short walk to Tshilaba's meeting place. Marik and Odion hopped out of the car, Marik's face looked to be carved from umber stone, with the only sign of vitality coming from his pale lavender eyes, a spark of anger—and perhaps a desire for vengeance—dwelling within them. Both men had their Duel Disks on, Marik's for dueling Tshilaba, Odion's in case Tshilaba decided to inflict the powers of the Shadows upon them. Aaron too had his own disk on, just in case as well. They were silent for most of the trip, each lost in their own thoughts.

As Marik slipped out of the car, he whirled to face Aaron, still in the driver's seat, one hand whipping out like a serpent's bite, clenching onto Aaron's arm. He pulled Aaron close and Marik leaned in, whispering, "You will bring her back!"

Aaron's normally lax demeanor broke into a hardened one, one he always adopted before going on the next assignment when he was Mossad. "I promise."

"Good." Marik released his grip, revealing red marks on Aaron's skin. Marik walked away without a sound, the ring in his hand, urging Odion to follow behind. Aaron revved the jeep back into life and looking behind him, began to back the vehicle out of the alleyway and back onto the busy street, Sivya's enchanted _rhaita _next to him, within reach.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was not hard to find the warehouse Tshilaba was referring to, despite its location in a seedier part of the city. How interesting, that after a while, all cities start to look the same, Marik noted, weaving his way through the monolithic buildings, Odion in tow. Graffiti in Arabic and pidgin English were sprayed on some of the buildings. They seemed vulgar in comparison to the art he had seen, like the tile work of the hotel. The building Tshilaba had decided on loomed in his vision, a building built of faded, reddish brick, with bars over the high windows, to prevent trespassers. An iron ladder was built into the near wall facing them, parts rusty from age and erosion. Marik had to do a little hop to pull the ladder down, to climb it. Odion held back, eyes dark with worry.

"Marik, I'm not so sure about this," he said, speaking for the first time since the spell in the warehouse.

Marik, who had just begun climbing the ladder, paused. "I know Odion, I know. But it is the only way, the only way to get Sivya and our family treasures back."

"I understand that, Master Marik," Odion only lapsed back into that tone and phrasing when he was either scolding Marik, or airing his fears. "But we know how Tshilaba plays these games of hers; you've played them for a few years, in case you have forgotten."

"That's why I'm the best person to beat her." Marik went back to climbing the emergency ladder, effectively ending the conversation at hand. Odion could only shake his head and follow suit.

It only took a short span of time to reach the roof. It was flat, like the one in Tel Aviv, allowing for people to meet and converse—and in Marik's case duel. It looked to be empty, free of any people, or any source of life, save for himself and Odion.

"Maybe she tricked us," Odion said, expressing their unspoken fears.

Marik shook his head. "No, no. Tshilaba wouldn't have tricked us like this." He looked around. "Not when there's so much on the line."

"For her, or for you?"

Marik refused to answer, his eyes cast about, searching for any sign of the former Rare Hunter. He caught sight of a small out building towards the far edge of the roof. It appeared to be nothing more than just a derelict housing for a set of stairs leading from inside the warehouse's expansive space. The door, thick and drab, creaked and shuddered open, unveiling a woman with curly black hair and a scar upon her face. Marik's heart picked up speed, not for the once forgotten, and short lived, affair, but out of anxiety and trepidation. "You," he snarled, lip curling.

"Miss me Marik?" she purred, sashaying a little on the stairway for an added affect. Her duel disk was clearly visible, even in the fading light. Her coy smile morphed into a sneer. "I see you brought your bodyguard with you."

Marik managed a smirk, despite the welling anger in his chest. "But of course. In case you try any funny stuff, Tshilaba."

Tshilaba growled. "It's Tabitha!" she nearly screeched, one hand upraised as if to strike him from that distance. She stormed out of the stairwell, activating her duel disk along the way. The rose themed disk blinked to life, the center piece the same pale green as before. She spoke not a word, her lips set in a thin line. There was no need for parley, a chance to reach an accordance. Instead, it would be war. In response, Marik raised his own disk, flipping the 'on' switch, the smirk still on his face, a facade to conceal his true emotions. Odion, the silent sentinel, stepped back and away from the unfolding scene, eyes flicking back and forth between the two duelists.

"Time to duel!"

..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Her eyes fluttered weakly open only to find herself engulfed by darkness. It was cold, and damp, the humidity seeming to leech into her clothing, her hair in dampened strands. Her honey hued eyes gradually adapted to the darkness, and Sivya managed to take stock of her surroundings.

She seemed to be in a chair, her hands tied to the chair's back and behind her, the ropes biting painfully into her skin, rough and chafing. Her feet were bound in a similar way, her sandals discarded by the wayside, she surmised. The floor, possibly of cement, was cool under her toes. It might have been a comforting sense, if the situation weren't so terrifying. The room she was in was of an imperceptible size, since there was no light to gauge the dimensions. All she knew was the tiny space around her. Her mouth was gagged, obviously, but she was not blindfolded. To an outsider, this would seem unusual—after all, what kidnapper would allow the victim to see their face?- but to someone like Sivya, a young women unused to the horrors of the world, what difference would it make?

She could hear water dripping just behind her, and the groaning of pipes, so, she had to be in the depths of some building. She may have spent large portions of her life in the desert, but she was intelligent and perceptive enough to know these kinds of things. Sivya took a steady breath, to calm her rapidly pounding heart, to discover that her chest was also bound to the chair, the ropes across her torso. Thankfully, these were not as rough and unpleasant as the ones on her hands and feet. A small comfort, in a situation like this.

Then, just to the left of her, a light shone from what appeared to be a door, bathing the room—now discovered to be rather small—in pale light. Blessed, blessed light. The door swung open, the hinges screeching sharply in desperate need of oil. There was a man, hovering in the threshold. The light poured out onto a small set of stairs and he entered, heavy boots slapping on the concrete floor. He reached over and flipped on a light switch. A single light, a bulb dangling from a cord, dimly flickered to life.

He leered at her trembling form. "'Ey there girlie, nice to see you're awake."

She said nothing, her eyes speaking volumes as she glowered at him.

He scoffed at her pitiful displays of bravery, one hand hooking onto his belt. "I ain't gonna touch you. Lady Tabitha said we ain't allowed to." If she could have, she would have spat at him. "But, when she's done with her prey, she's gonna come take care of you."

Sivya's eyes widened, realizing the implications and enormity of his statement. Tabitha, or whatever her name was, was intending on killing her. As she absorbed the statement, the man laughed, turning his back on her and turning off the light behind him. The door slammed shut and she bowed her head, utterly defeated.

She noticed then, that the gag was tied looser than intended and she seized the opportunity, slowly but surely, wiggling the cloth gag loose enough to fall away from her mouth. After what seemed like an eternity, the gag slipped down and around her neck, giving her some modicum of hope; maybe she could scream for her rescuers to come. Sivya paused. No, that would have been a poor idea. Her takers would hear and come back to tie the gag back around her mouth.

Instead, she whispered prayers to herself, whatever ones sprang to her tongue. Prayers her mother taught her, ones her father taught her as well. Religion and tradition did not matter here. As an added measure, she added:

"Marik, where are you? Please, please come and find me. I'm so scared. Marik, please. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I'll make the first move," Tabitha offered, smoothly drawing a single card. "Ladies first, after all." She drew her card. "I summon my Lord Poison monster, in attack mode and activate the magic card, The World Tree." A monster that seemed to be fabricated from the very roots of the monstrous tree upon the field hovered just above the ground, thorns black as night protruding from its chest and limbs. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

"Very well then; I was tempted to make a remark about the whole "ladies" thing, but I decided against it." Marik took only a passing glance of the card, before placing it face down on the field, in addition to two other card in the back field.

"Marik, I would advise against taunting Tshilaba," Odion offered.

"Oh yes Marik, listen to your bodyguard," Tabitha sneered, looking at her hand. "Especially with your little "girlfriend" in some, shall we say, very unpleasant hands." Her green eyes seemed to flash with a sadistic pleasure in saying this.

Marik pointed. "If you or your goons even _think_ of touching her, I swear. . . I. Will. Kill. You." Odion paled at the remark; it was totally unlike Marik to threaten a person in this way, since the aftermath of Battle City. It was like he had been possessed by his darker side once again.

Something came over the young man suddenly, a stabbing pain in his left temple, searing, and consuming.

_"I can certainly help with that," It was his darker side once again, the Millennium Rod in one hand, the Seal practically branded on his forehead, replacing the Eye of Horus. His eyes looked more manic than usual, which was saying something. "Embrace it, embrace the Orichalcos and those deep dark desires can be realized. Tshilaba is weak, she can not even begin to comprehend the power the Seal contains. Embrace it, and you can."_

_ "No, I won't!" he shouted._

_ His darker side merely smirked at his pitiful efforts. "Look down." he jabbed the Millennium __Rod down. Marik's eyes fearfully went to the floor, only to realize that he was standing on an immense mirror, its edges seeming to reach into eternity. He gasped in horror, to find the Seal on his own countenance, his eyes blazing red like freshly spilt blood._

_ "I. . .can't," he protested. "I. . .won't."_

The vision faded, the field—and Tshilaba's World Tree, dominating his vision. The vision must have lasted for only an instant, for she replied, "That is the Marik I remember."

"The Marik you remember is no more," Marik growled, but a small part of him wondered who was speaking: his true self, or his darker side, his _yami._ "Just play your card."

"Good, I was looking forward to it, because I'm sure you remember it from your last duel. I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!" Tabitha's eyes were gleaming with in insane light as she slapped the card into the field spell slot of her disk.

"Tshilaba, don't!" Marik took a single step, one hand outstretched, a feeble and symbolic gesture, as if he was attempting to prevent her from playing it. "You have no idea what it's capable of!"

Again, it was like his _yami_ was speaking, not him. A part of him had to ponder though, if the activation of the card would only expedite his downfall into the darkness.

The searing pain swept through his skull and he clutched at it, nails scraping along his skin, tugging at his hair.

"Marik!" Odion shouted from the sidelines, as the Seal materialized, then expanded from Tshilaba's manic self. He was repelled back, as the Seal made contact with his person. Odion flew back twenty feet, landing heavily on his back with a 'thud'. He took a few seconds too long to get up, too much time for Marik's taste.

"Odion!" Marik made a move, to perhaps to attend to his brother, but remembered that his exit—and Odion's entrance—was barred by the mystical barrier of the Seal.

"I'm alright Marik," Odion grunted, slowly standing upright, one hand massaging his lower back. "Deal with the duel!"

"Right." Marik nodded, before turning back to Tshilaba. "You have no idea what this thing can do, Tshilaba. It can destroy both of us. You can end this!"

"End this? Are you mad?" Tshilaba spread her arms out, reveling in the Seal's glow, as one would embrace a warm fire on a cold evening. Her head craned towards the heavens, to the invisible ceiling of the Seal. Her hair, that dark, thick hair, was like a living being, writhing, whipping out and about. "This, this is power! Power in its rawest, purest form! To end it now would be ludicrous!"

"_Yes Marik, to end it now _would _ be mad now, wouldn't it?" Yami Marik hissed in his ear. "You feel it, don't you? The power flowing through your veins, like your very lifeblood itself. And it's all thanks to your one. Little. Mistake. You see, the Orichalcos, it saw your darkest desires, that is why you cannot get rid of it. It wants you, it _needs_ you, and you know it."_

_ "No...I won't give. . .in."_

_ "Too bad."_

"While I'm sure that you know the rules of the Orichalcos, I'm fairly certain that Odion does not. The rules go like this, Odion," Tabitha began, raising her voice for him to hear. "The Seal cannot be broken. When the duel is over, the winner is freed. The loser, well, the loser loses their soul to the powers of the Seal.

_"And I most definitely do not wish to lose._

"Of course," Tabitha continued. "There are some other abilities and powers of the Orichalcos, but I for one, don't like giving away surprises." As she spoke, a replica of the Seal materialized on the weathered, gnarled visage of Lord Poison, raising his attack points by five hundred to now equal to two thousand. "Now Lord Poison, attack Marik's face down."

"Oh, you shouldn't have done that." As the root monster hacked through the card, it revealed a jar, from the realms of science-fiction. "You just killed my Morphing Jar. I'm sure you remember what that does. We discard our hands and draw five fresh cards. Then I activate my trap card, Magical Thorn, which takes out five hundred life points for each card you discarded, and since you discarded four cards, you lose two thousand life points."

Tshilaba's lip curled in disgust as she was forced to send her entire hand to the Graveyard, her life points now sliced in half. Of course, she noted, that there were some advantages to this, because Marik unwittingly employed one of the advantages of her deck, something he would surely regret later. But it was even worse that Marik did not lose life points, since he played Morphing Jar in face down defense mode. "Fine." She surveyed her cards. "I end my turn."

"So soon? I guess the Orichalcos was not as climatic as it seemed."

"Careful with your taunts, Marik. Remember?" She reached into the back pocket of her black, skin tight jeans, pulling a green object out. She dangled it out in front of her and Marik realized with a sinking feeling that it was a piece of Sivya's belt, the gypsy one with the coins, which clinked against each other as they settled back down.

His free hand clenched at his side. "Don't even. . .I will. . ."

"No, you won't, because you're nothing more than a coward, since the end of Battle City, going back to your little family and begging for forgiveness, your tail between your legs."

"I said don't even touch her!"

_"You can teach her a lesson," Yami Marik offered. "Just accept it and all of the pain will go away. . ."_

_ "Get out of my head!"_

"Marik!" Odion shouted, obviously no longer in pain. "Marik, don't give in to it!"

Marik bit his lip, his expression one of pure fury, understandable considering the situation, but what had frightened Odion was the dark, almost murderous veil that fell over his younger sibling, one that reminded him all to well of his days as a Rare Hunter.

Marik could possibly give into the darkness.

Something that Odion feared with the very core of his being.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He raced in the jeep, careening down roadways and cobbled streets, with only the _rhaita_ as his guide. Thankfully, the streets were beginning to clear at this time of night, allowing him almost unrestricted movements, the fear of accidentally striking someone with his car off his mind. He had been driving for a good twenty minutes, trying to navigate the winding and sometimes narrow streets. How interesting, that such a slender but strong object could act as a divining rod, finding a person whose many characteristics echoed those of the instrument. She was a strong girl, born and raised in the harsh deserts, alone for many years, self-sufficient yet at the same time, gentle and almost naïve about the ways of the world. She was pure, unfettered and free, like the very desert itself.

A child of the sands, some people would call it.

The _rhaita's_ mouthpiece shuddered and straightened itself out, shifting position from the more northern direction to a northwestern one. Marik had told him that the flute would shudder and shake as it got closer to its target. It was the first time though, that the flute had done it, so he prayed that he was indeed, getting closer to Sivya, wherever the poor girl may be. Probably locked away in some abandoned building somewhere, Aaron surmised, speaking from personal experience. They were probably in a region where they—the kidnappers—felt most comfortable and secure, not thinking that a retired—but still spry—Mossad agent was about to kick down their door and make for a very awful experience for them.

As the jeep reached an intersection in the road, Aaron made a sharp turn to the left, following the path of the flute.

"Hang on Sivya, I'm coming."

**Anybody else notice the change in mood. . .or is that just me? **


	35. Chapter 35: Break the Cage

Chapter 35: Break the Cage

**Warning: Copious amounts of Aaron Awesomeness are prevalent in this chapter. Aaron fangirls (if there are any out there) should keep their squeeing to a minimum unless you want to wake the neighbors. In the case of the latter, I am not liable for any damage of police calls.**

** You may continue your readings. **

"My move," Marik began, laboring to force his _yami's_ voice out of his head. "I play my magic card Monster Reborn and I bring back my Summoned Skull, which was sent to the graveyard thanks to Morphing Jar. You can end this, you know. You can destroy the Orichalcos, free Sivya and hand over the goods you stole. You can redeem yourself, Tshilaba."

"Redemption is nothing more than a folly for those who are cowardly." Tabitha argued bitterly. "They cannot accept the full gravity of their deed and thus, backpedal from their deeds as quickly. _Besides," _a small part of her added. _"I am far too late for redemption."_

"Redemption is not for the weak!" Odion added. "You can still save yourself from this!"

"Please Tshilaba, surrender the goods and end this!"

"I have no intention of saving myself, for I need no saving. Nor will I surrender those scrolls and stones so easily. They're my bargaining chip, in addition to your precious "girlfriend". It would be like giving away one's poker chips."

Marik let out a hefty sigh. Tshilaba could not be saved, clearly, but maybe, maybe once the duel was over, she was chivalrous enough to reveal the location of the stones, scrolls and Sivya. She must be terrified, Marik thought, heart threatening to break at the thought of it. Hopefully, Aaron could reach her quickly; he trusted the man to. "Very well then, I guess you are too far gone then." Summoned Skull emerged from the earth, lightning racing and arcing off its body, Marik commanded, "Now Summoned Skull, wipe out Tshilaba's Lord Poison from the field!" Summoned Skull, with the attack points of 2500, brought down a lightning bolt from the sky, shattering Lord Poison into many pieces, the first blow of the game and dropping Tshilaba's points to 1500. Then Magical Thorn was activated as well, taking away another five hundred, bringing her to a measly one thousand

"You do realize that you activated its ability, right? Once it is destroyed from battle, I can summon another plant monster in its place, and I summon my Necro Fleur!" A sad, withered partially bloomed rose sprouted from where Lord Poison rested. "And I can place a Flower Counter on my World Tree!" A small counter, shaped like a rose, sprang from the roots of The World Tree. "You may have managed to make a dent in my Life Points, but you won't win the duel, I can assure you. My move. I summon Lonefire Blossom on the field and I activate its special ability: I can tribute a monster to summon another one in its place, so long as it is a plant-type. So, I sacrifice my Necro Fleur to summon Sorciere de Fleur!" Sorciere de Fleur was a tall and graceful women, dressed in red and white robes and carried a staff topped with a violet rose, in full bloom. Her attack points were high, very high, a base number of 2900. With the Orichalcos at work, it was now 3400, more than enough to take out his only monster on the field, Summoned Skull. Then, Lonefire Blossom, the tan flower with its bud in partial bloom, would attack directly. This was Tshilaba's strategy: to swarm the field with plant types, each one supporting another as they overwhelmed the opponent with sheer numbers alone. Marik had the card he needed to easily put a stop to it, but it was not in his hand, nor on the field. He would have to fish for it. "Of course, since I destroyed one of my plant monsters, I can place another flower counter on my World Tree.

"And now my Sorciere de Fleur will attack your Summoned Skull!" Tabitha cackled madly, her hair standing on end, the power of the Orichalcos pumping through her like electricity, blood, maybe. She and Gurimo were vastly different in regards of the Orichalcos. Gurimo treated the magic like a tool, cold and calculating in the use of it; Tshilaba embraced the dark power as if it were a lover, allowing it to consume her entire being until there was nothing left. A dance with cold, green fire.

Marik decided in not playing his face down cards, knowing that this was not the right time nor place for their activation. Summoned Skull was dispatched with a disturbing ease as Tshilaba's monster blasted at it with magic. He winced, staggering a bit as he lost nearly a thousand life points, nine hundred to be exact. The Orichalcos must feed of the life energies, that was why each blow felt so realistic, so painful.

"Then Lonefire Blososm will attack you directly!" The fire bunched upon itself, before spewing out what looked like gaily colored fireworks. The fireworks arced in the sky, before crash landing on and about Marik. The fireworks crackled against his skin, searing pain erupting where the fireworks made contact. He yelped in pain, as his life points were slashed by another thousand. Marik was still well ahead of Tshilaba, but he knew she had plenty of other tricks up her sleeve that would prolong the fight. He looked down, half expecting to see horrible burns where the flower's attacks hit. His skin was unblemished, but the burning sensation was still there. "Then I'll play my Mystical Space Typhoon, which wipes out your Magical Thorn. Don't think that you can take me out with that card. I play one more card face down and end my turn."

"Marik!" Odion raced to the very edge of the Seal's boundaries, one hand reaching out. He made sure to not make contact with the Seal magical energies, recalling full well what happened last time.

"I'm alright Odion, I promise!"

Odion hesitated, unsure of his brother's reassurances, but relented, inching back from the dueling field. He could feel the insidious energies of the Seal trying to break into his conscious, like roots of ancient trees, boring their way into the earth, no matter what obstacle. Odion steeled himself, forcing the energies away as he stepped back.

_"Let me intercede and together, we can prevent this from happening again."_ His _yami's_ voice was becoming more vocal, like an incessant pounding in his ears, and Marik was growing weaker and weaker in his protests, which boded poorly for him. The sooner the duel was finished, the better.

"I play my first card, Blessings of Sobek, which increases my life points by five hundred for each card I draw and then Graceful Charity, which allows us to draw up to six fresh cards, to fill out our hands. You're welcome, by the way, Tshilaba." She said nothing, angrily drawing her card until she filled her queue and watched with disgust as Marik coolly drew his own, a half smile ghosting on his lips as his life points went back up to 3600. "Now I summon my Gil Garth in defense mode. I sacrifice him to play my End of Anubis. Next I activate Magical Stone Evacuation, which allows me to bring a magic card back onto the field and I choose Monster Reborn and I bring back Summoned Skull. It's time to end this duel once and for all! Summoned Skull, destroy her Lonefire Blossom!"

"Activate my trap card: Wall of Thorns! This destroys any and all monsters on your side of the field!"

"Not so fast: I play my Magical Cylinder, which redirects your Wall of Thorns and as I said earlier, ending the duel!"

_"Yes my little puppet, finish this and embrace the darkness!"_

_ "Get out of my head!"_ Marik screeched harshly.

"Then I activate my magic card, Ring of Defense, which makes all damage to zero!"

The field became nothing more than a smoldering wreck as the cards countered each other, a chain, in duelist terminology. Tabitha smirked as her monsters remained untouched on the field. "Shame you made such a waste of your cards," she told him, much to his own distaste.

"I could say the same for you," he retorted bitterly.

"Perhaps, but they are just cards to me. Some will be useful, some will not. It depends on how the game goes."

The comment seemed surprising to the young man. Her callousness for the cards was probably a result of the Orichalcos. It had already corrupted her mind, what else could it do.

"Very well then. I place one card face down and end my turn."

"_Another time, then."_

Marik forcibly shut the_ yami _out, but he knew his defenses were thinning; his voice was louder and louder in his head, like harsh bells, the caterwauling of a demon. Soon, he would be possessed, Marik feared, with only Odion to save him from himself. It was a fate that Marik did not wish to experience, since he already had once.

"Then I summon Revival Rose onto the field." Tabitha called out. Next to her Sorciere de Fleur was a pair of roses, each embedded with a single eye in the center of their blood red petals. The plant monster reminded Marik of the flowers from Alice in Wonderland.

"Hey, Walt Disney called: he wants his flower people back," Marik taunted, a false show of bravado.

"You say that now," Tabitha sneered. "But now I activate Lonefire Blossom's ability, which allows me to tribute a Plant type monster on the field, in order to bring on back from the Graveyard, and I choose to sacrifice my Revival Rose to summon my most powerful monster: Tytannical, Princess of Camellias!" Tytannical was a women, covered in a dress made of rose petals of pink, red and white, was green leaves and thorns enveloped her person. A crown of green leaves and a red rose rested upon her brow. Like Tshilaba's other monsters, she too, gained the five hundred point bonus thanks to the Orichalcos. She was easily the most powerful monster on the field and now Tshilaba had more monsters than Marik, two of which could eliminate his field in a single blow. He had the card to shield himself, plus the life points to pull it off. Whether Tshilaba will spring for the bait was a different matter.

"Now Tytannical, Princess of Camellias, destroy Gil Garth!"

"Activate Mirror Force!"

"What!" Tshilaba screeched.

"What, did you think you were the only one with that kind of card?" Marik calmly activated the card, his steely fortitude and seemingly calm veneer the only thing keeping him sane. "This destroys your monsters and since I'm positive that you don't have anything up your sleeves at the moment, this leaves you wide open for an attack!" Tshilaba braced herself as all three monsters were wiped away from the field, but she did not lose life points. She did though, gain three more Flower Counters for her World Tree, something that would be very fortuitous later.

It was though still her turn and she would intend on using the gift Marik bestowed on her. "And now I activate one of the powers of my World Tree. If I remove three counters, I can special summon a monster back from the graveyard and I choose Tytannical, Princess of Camellias and I place her in defense mode. It would seem that your grand scheme was nothing more than a misfire."

"Until next time." Marik drew a card. "It is the beginning of the end for you Tshilaba!"

_"Yes, yes! Finish her off now!"_

"_No, get out of my head, you freak!"_

_ "I can never leave, little Marik. It is pointless, futile to fight me!"_

_ "No!"_

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Sivya had no sense of how long she had been held captive. Maybe it was only a handful of minutes, or maybe it was hours. The concept of time was lost in the room that acted as her prison. The only relief she had was when one of her captors came in the room, enshrouding the place with light for a few blissful moments. At one point, one of them, the one who had first visited her, brought her a water bottle for her to guzzle from, presumably to keep their hostage as "alive" as possible. They had tipped the bottle into her mouth, rather than allowing her to handle it herself. Despite the humane gesture, they were no less monsters. They taunted her mercilessly, with crude insults and innuendos. From what she could gather, they were not allowed to touch her, but it didn't mean that they could not threaten her.

She shuddered, trying to block some of the crude insults out of memory. She could not fathom how people could be so cruel, so vile. Did they not feel guilty about their actions? Did their conscious not plague them at their loneliest hours? How could people live with themselves?

Sivya was not naïve on the ways of the world, despite her relative isolation. She interacted with outsiders and she knew that people held darkness in their hearts—all people did, including herself—and she knew that there would be those completely lost to evil, like Tshilaba, but what escaped her was how they could live with themselves, be willing servants to it. That was what drove her curiosity.

She worked with the binds on her hands, hoping to wriggle them free of their bonds. All she earned, though, were rope burns from the material constantly scratching at her wrists. Sivya ignored the pain and continued working, knowing that eventually, they had to come loose.

Right?

In between bouts, she would pray to herself, her beliefs a stalwart light in the darkness. Her beliefs would not waver, would not quake at the sight of temptation, of giving in to those who wish her ill. She would not be led on like an innocent lamb to the slaughter. She would be like the ram, kicking and fighting until its last breath, if need be.

_"Please, please come find me, Marik. I know you can."_

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The _rhaita_, or the "miracle flute" as Aaron had decided to dub it, eventually led him to the northern side of town, conveniently out of reach of the local authorities of the city, not that they would have cared anyway. Aaron knew people who had at one point or another, gone through her. The city was corrupt to the core, they had told him. Even more so with the burgeoning chaos brewing in the area, the rise of the "Arab Spring". He was in a part of town where many warehouses were built, probably in hopes of the growing Turkish economy, but as the years passed, the buildings grew derelict and abandoned, to eventually become the homes for many members of the poverty stricken population and those with shadier purposes in mind. Rumors about human trafficking in this part of the world was abound.

Aaron drove the jeep to a small cranny at the juncture of three warehouses and a chain link fence, dilapidated from years of misuse, tucked away from the main traffic. If someone had wanted to find it, they would have have to look very hard for it. The Mossad agent patted himself down, to make sure he had everything he needed. He had his heavy knife, with two others of a slimmer variety stashed away in his boots. His sidearm, as well as a handful of spare clips were strapped to his side. To conceal the side holster, Aaron had plucked out a long button down shirt from his baggage, to go over his tee. To an outsider, the outfit would have appeared normal, which was exactly how he wanted. The best way to disguise oneself is to stay in plain sight, or so an instructor once taught him. For an additional safety measure, he tucked his Star of David necklace under his shirt. For his vehicle, he decided to conceal it as well, lest he came back to find his vehicle stripped of parts. He unfurled the tarp from the back of the vehicle, draping it over the bulk of it, even throwing some dirt on the wheel hubs—not that it needed much—in order to hide the shine of the chrome and thus, attract unwanted visitors. The jeep was next to a pile of old cardboard boxes and with the tarp on, it looked to be a part of the landscape, unobtrusive and camouflaged. Urban camouflage, it was called.

Aaron held the flute in the palm of his hand, waiting anxiously for the instrument to point the way. It convulsed violently, before pointing sharply to the left. He crouched low and against the building, one hand just next to the clasp that kept the knife in its scabbard. Aaron moved slowly, each step deliberate and cautiously. A single kicked can could alert any hostiles in the area and Aaron, while armed, would not stand a chance, especially with the element of surprise gone. He continually scanned the region, making note of any tiny thing that even remotely appeared out of place. The sound of the city were chaotic strains of disjointed noise in his ears, sometimes threatening to overwhelm his other senses, but he managed to block it out, straining for any noise that would reveal any sign of Sivya.

He held the flute once again, but this time it remained straight. He was heading in the right direction. He crept along for another fifty yards, until the _rhaita _swung erratically to the right, to a door just fifteen feet. It was heavy set, fabricated of steel, with a padlock on the handle. There was no sentry at the entrance of the door and not a single sign around the premises.

"Hmm, not very secure," Aaron remarked, inching up to the door. He pulled out the lockpicking set from his wallet and knelt next to the padlock, attempting—quietly—to pick the lock. The lock proved more difficult than Aaron first imagined, refusing to budge even after Aaron had sworn up and down that the padlock had clicked open. He examined the joint where the lock met the main body, only to discover years of rust gunking up the padlock. So, no matter how meticulous Aaron could have picked the lock, it still would not have budged.

On to plan B, Aaron decided, pulling out the sidearm. "Screw it, I don't have time for this." He undid the safety of the gun and fired once. The shot rang out through the complex of buildings, reverberating down the walls. A flock of pigeons, startled by the sound, flew from their perch. The bullet lodged in the main part of the padlock, where the "lock" met the body. Metal shrapnel flew in all directions, one even slicing across Aaron's cheek. With a "thud", the padlock, now irreparable, fell onto the cement threshold. Aaron threw himself against the brick wall, heart hammering in his chest, quickly shouldering his weapon back in the holster. The move he made would have been considered "stupid" by some, but he considered it brilliant, if a little on the insane side.

The door swung open and a heavy set man, one of Sivya's captors, stepped out onto the threshold. He carried a Uzi on a shoulder strap. He examined the surroundings, clearly looking for the source of the gunfire, when Aaron struck. One hand reached across the man's neck and lower jaw, catching him off guard, as the other hand snaked across, gripping the back of his skull. While the man was larger than Aaron by about a half foot and a good forty to fifty pounds, Aaron had the tactical advantage. Aaron then jerked his hands in opposite directions, the man's head going with it. There was the audible "snap" as his neck broke. He sagged in Aaron's hands, now a literal dead weight. Aaron stumbled across the threshold, trying to maintain his grip. He shifted his grip to under the man's shoulders and dragged him away from the entryway and out of view. The Mossad agent found a pile of trashcans and garbage bags across the way, so he unceremoniously dumped the body there. It was distasteful, even to Aaron, but he didn't exactly have time to a full blown wake and funeral.

The alleyway grew quiet once more, the door slowly swinging in the dead air. Aaron reached down and undid the safety switch of the sidearm, and crashed into the room.

The room was mostly square in shape, possibly an office for the warehouse in question at one time. It was twenty feet by thirty feet, a little longer than a square, with thick windows lining the back wall directly across from Aaron. Fluorescent lights dimly lit the room, revealing a door next to the windows and a desk taking up the bulk of the room. There was a man at the desk, dozing off, a rifle on the desk top.

"Hello boys," Aaron said, reaching for the sidearm.

The man blinked in surprise at Aaron's sudden arrival; clearly, he had been asleep when Aaron had fired his gun. It did not take long for the situation to sink in and he reached for the rifle, one hand on the trigger. Knowing full well of the man's intentions, Aaron's left hand jerked the handgun out of the shoulder holster and fired off a single shot, without need for aiming the weapon. The bullet lodged in the man's chest and he fell back, out of the seat. The shot echoed loudly in the room and Aaron adjusted his grip, running for the door, keeping his profile as low as possible.

He managed to cover his head in time as bullets from the other side of the room ripped through, piercing the thick glass before lodging into the opposite wall. Glass rained down on the Mossad agent as he made his way, very slowly, to the door. He had no idea who was out there, nor how many, but he didn't feel like losing his head or other vital organs over it. In a lull of the gunfire, Aaron took a cautious peek into the window. It opened up to another large room on a slightly lower plane than his. A handful of dingy lights hung from the ceiling, some broken, others burnt out. Another door was across the way. There were a half dozen men in the room, all firing precariously at his position from an area of about twenty yards. Aaron ducked back down when a round whizzed dangerously close to his head, knowing that he would have to fight his way through.

He checked the ammo clip in the handgun, when he got a better idea. He half-crawled, half ran back to the desk where the rifle was resting. He reached up to tug the strap down when a bullet sliced across the back of his hand. He hissed to himself as blood trickled from the wound, a long cut. He was thankful that it didn't go a centimeter deeper or else his hand would have been rendered useless. Rifle in hand, he went back to the doorway, where he propped it through a small hole in the window. He peered down the iron sights of the rifle—it was a bolt action, but he did not care which brand—and fired once, catching the first man in the chest. That got their attention and Aaron was forced to retreat back down, thankfully allowing him a breather to unload the empty cartridge from the breech by pulling the bolt and popping it out.

He checked to make sure there was another round in the breech and he steeled himself for a drawn out fight with these men.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Sivya perked up as a ringing noise echoed in the confined space. More ensued and she wanted to retreat inwards. She realized that it sounded exactly like the gunfight in the valley. There was a gunfight going on in. . .wherever she was. Her heart picked up a pace. Maybe it was Aaron, or Marik, coming to rescue her!

They found her!

The door slammed open and one of her captors stormed in, reaching around the chair and undoing her bounds. Then he roughly pulled her to her feet, clamping a hand over her mouth and something cold went to her temple. She looked with her peripheral vision to find the barrel of a gun pressed to her head. He was taking her hostage, she realized belatedly.

"Say a word, even think about screaming, and I'll blow your brains out, despite Mistress Tabitha's commands."

** The Wall of Thorns/Magic Cylinder/Ring of Defense is actually illegal, since Magic Cylinder does not redirect the effects of a magic/trap card, only monster attacks, but since this is the anime we're talking about, we can tweak the rules _juuust _a tiny bit, right? **


	36. Chapter 36: Dance with the Devil

Chapter 36: Dance with the Devil

**Dueling, dueling everywhere! So. . .many of them. Oh, and this is the first time you'll see Odion's deck in the story. It's a bit different than his previous deck, which had been focused around the idea of a false Winged Dragon of Ra. There are a couple of things that remained the same, but other than that, it's completely different and more fitting for him.**

Odion watched in dumbfound horror as he watched Marik clutch at his head, eyes tightly shut, like he was fighting off a migraine.

Or worse.

And that made the older man shudder with fear. In the years of the Battle City aftermath, they had spent some time researching on what could have triggered the birth of his darker side, something they now believed was in fact, another facet of his personality—a darker one-, and not a true _yami,_ like those of the Millennium Puzzle and Ring. In they end, they have determined that it was a multitude of factors, not the Rod. Because of this, and in despite of the supposed banishment of the false _yami _to the Shadow Realm, they had fears that perhaps there was still a "shadow" of the darker side lurking within the young man's psyche. As time passed though and Marik seemed to be his regular self, they concluded that their fears had been unfounded.

Odion rushed to the barrier, uncaring of the Orichalcos' powers. He pounded a fist on the force field, but the magic instantly repelled it back, a burning sensation racing through his nerves. Odion thrust the pain out of his mind and continued. "Marik! Marik, are you alright!"

"Get. . .out...of my. . .head!" Marik swayed uneasily on his feet, the debilitating pain from the _yami's_ assault, clouding his mind and senses, making it difficult to even remain upright. He managed to force the assailing voice from his mind, so he could unleash the _coup de grace _ on Tshilaba and end the duel. He staggered upright, blinking slowly, as if viewing the stage for the first time.

"I'm giving you one last chance before I finish the duel," he said in between pants, his confrontations with the _yami_ becoming more strenuous and exhaustive. "You can wipe out the Orichalcos and reveal the locations of the stolen items and Sivya. Do it, before the Seal takes your soul."

Tshilaba was quiet for a moment, studying her array. With the chain a few turns ago wiping out her Wall of Thorns, she had no shielding for Tytannical, no matter how strong it was. Marik could easily wipe the rest of her life points, if he managed to find a way to wipe out Tytannical. Then, the Orichalcos would take her soul, leaving her body as nothing but a shell. The finality of her fate seemed to sink in just then and her heart managed to skip a beat, shivers running down her spine and across her skin. It was final, the soul stealing powers of the Orichalcos were. She had heard tales of how the spell could be reversed, even eliminated from the field, nullifying its fearsome powers, but she knew none of those techniques, the appropriate magic to save her from the end. She had been nothing more than a pawn, using powers that were beyond her control. That was why she liked to use poison as a method of killing enemies; she could control that, using her own concoctions against her foes.

The Orichalcos was a sentient being, something she couldn't control.

And with that, she comprehended the terminality of her own fate

Her green eyes, which always seemed so angry and cold, were almost contemplative for a moment, peering upon her own fate. Her posture seemed to change and shrink, reminding Marik of not the fierce, temperamental and bitter woman, but younger, more unsure of herself, fear flitting across her features like a dark shadow. But was quickly as the moment came, it passed.

"You're a fool to think otherwise Marik. You can't change me; no one can, and no one will. Your honeyed words no longer weave their magic as they might have once a long time ago. I will accept my fate should it turn out that way." With that, Tshilaba lowered her Duel disk to her side, almost resigned as she awaited her fate. "Play your card."

_"Yes, yes, yes!"_

_ "NO!"_

_ "Do it, or I will!"_

Odion watched in horror as Marik's features seemed to shift and change, revealing the visage of a mad man, one that Odion had been dreading all those years. But then, it was gone, Marik's face haggard and weary, the duel taking more of a toll than expected.

"I play my card, United We Stand and equip it to my End of Anubis, which give him an additional 1600 attack and defense points, since I have two monsters on the field, bringing him up to 4100 attack points. Now, End of Anubis, finish this duel!"

_"YES!" _

The lupine monster swung its jagged claws at Tytannical, shredding her to bits, her dress of rose petals breaking apart, the petals scattered to the wind that should have never been there. Tshilaba watched all of this unfold with eyes that looked like flat river stones, devoid of life. Her life points clicked down to zero and she sunk to her knees, eyes half lidded as if falling into slumber.

In an instant, Marik ran across the field, to kneel next to her, the yammering of his _yami_ ringing in his ears. He made one final effort to push him away. His hand gripped Tshilaba's shoulders, shaking her roughly. "Where are they?"

Tshilaba's eyes flickered open, but there was no malice, not this time. "The girl is in a warehouse in the northern part of town, just beyond the limits. And the scrolls, they're are at my hotel room, but the stones. . ." she paused, eyes eyes going to the rapidly closing Seal. "Are gone. I sent them to my Master."

"You master!" He shouted angrily. "Who is your master! And where is he!"

She coughed. "My Master is. . ." she arched her back suddenly, the powers of the Orichalcos trying to wrench her soul away. She fought it, staved the effects off just for a little longer. "Is a man called. . .Midas."

Marik's heart wanted to drop down from his ribcage. The man that had sent the mask and the disk was behind the merry chase across the Middle East the entire time.

But why?

"And where is he?"

"At. . ." she flinched, the powers of the Seal too strong for her. She could feel it, like tentacles slithering and clenching around her soul, wresting it away from her body. "Çanakkale." With that, her eyes shut and she sagged in his arms, her soul whisked away by the powers of the Orichalcos.

It was then that the _yami_ seized the moment, hammering away at the mental defenses of Marik's mind, to at last take control in one final effort, a one-man army besieging the fortress of the mind. While Marik may not have realized it, he had built defenses in the deepest darkest corners of his consciousness, a reflexive move if one thought about it. The _yami_ had discovered these pathways in the formative years of Marik's life and had stashed away a "piece" of himself in these dark crannies of the subconscious. When he had been banished to the Shadow Realm, _Duat,_ this small part remained. Of course, one could argue that the influence of these _yami_ left indelible marks on the mind and could never be truly erased, but in this case, it was more than just a simple theory proposed by those who had been at the mercy of these darker spirits.

The small part would have remained for the rest of Marik's natural life span, only a shadow of its former self, the faint whispers in the darkest times of night.

Then the discovery of the Orichalcos and with that, his influence and power grew, until the _yami_ decided it was time to take full control.

_"You are mine!" _

_ "No!" _

The _yami_ made the final effort, overtaking Marik's defenses, banishing the original host to the deep recesses of his mind. Marik screamed, in agony, hands clawing at his hair and face, a desperate and vain effort to fight back.

"Marik!" Odion ran to the young man, but a dark force blasted him back, a power a repulsive as the Orichalcos itself. "No! Fight it! Fight it with all your heart and soul! You can do it!" He was suddenly blinded by the darkness as it surrounded the playing field. This was not the power of the Orichalcos, Odion knew for certain, as little as he understood the powers of the Seal. No, this was magic that the older man knew for years, even took a part of in his younger days. He could not wield it with the ease of his siblings, natural born heirs of the Items, but he knew intimately what it was.

The Shadow Realm.

_Yami _Marik was back.

Marik sagged forward, hovering over Tshilaba's fallen body, hair obscuring his face in a platinum curtain, a wild mane. One hand reached for Tshilaba's duel disk, clicking a single slot open. He slipped the card out, placing it in his own deck. He stood upright, his hair like a jagged crown formed from the darkness. The lavender hued eyes were lit with madness, tinged by a veil of red. There was no Eye of Horus branded upon his forehead, but something else: a six pronged star, held within the confines of a seal. The Orichalcos insignia. He turned to Odion, eying the man with a peculiar look, a man displeased with Odion's presence.

"Hello Odion."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Aaron cursed to himself as the rifle he held fired its last shot. He did not see any extra ammunition on or around the desk where he obtained it, and there were still two men in the other room, firing on him. With relative ease he had dispatched the first four, but in the chaos, he had lost track of the rounds used. Thankfully, with only two left in the other room, the rate of fire lulled considerably. With a growl, he tossed the rifle aside, reaching for the handgun. A bullet whizzed by in the upper confines of the window, shattering the panes further, to the point where Aaron was surrounded by glass shards. He had never been more grateful for the thick boots he wore, lest he cut his feet up.

So, plan "B".

He went for his side arm, the Beretta he owned. The handgun was efficient and accurate in its firing, which was why Aaron treasured it so much. A gift from an American agent he had worked with many years ago. He placed a round in the chamber and went to the door, standing behind it. One hand went to the doorknob, the other still holding the gun. The door was unlocked. He twisted the knob sharply and kicked the door open, the hand now holding the gun.

It was clear that the mercenaries were taken off guard by Aaron's sudden move, even more so when he shouted, "I'm here to kick tuckus and chew bubble gum. Unfortunately for you, I don't chew bubble gum." He raised the gun up the same time as the two men.

Thankfully, Aaron was faster on the draw.

The retired Mossad fired off two rounds, one for each man, the bullet going in the center of their chests, center mass, one would call it. Both dropped without even thinking of firing a shot. Their guns clattered to the floor, blood pooling. Aaron knelt to each of them, one hand still holding the Beretta as he checked their pulses. Both were dead.

As Aaron got up, he told the fresh corpses. "Now normally I wouldn't say "tuckus" to such scumbags like you, because that seems a little childish; however, there is a young lady in the building and I wish to be a gentlemen." Aaron quickly scanned his surroundings, in hopes of finding a secret room or passage that would lead to Sivya. The only thing he found was the door leading—presumably—to the next room. He knelt to the door, jiggling the lock, testing it. It too, was unlocked. _"Wow, they __have very poor security here,"_ he thought to himself, placing an ear to the door, in hopes of discerning what was on the other side. He didn't want to charge in there, not knowing.

It was quiet for a moment or two, but then he heard a sob, a feminine sob. Now, unless they had female mercenaries working for them—which was probably unlikely, in spite of Tshilaba—it had to be Sivya on the other side.

"I said shut up!" Aaron heard someone threaten. Now Sivya had to be on the other side. He took a deep breath to calm himself before charging in; the last thing he wanted to to harm Sivya in anyway.

"It seems kind of quiet in there," Aaron heard another voice say, this one deeper and scratchier than the first. "Do you think they got him?" He must have been referring to Aaron.

"Maybe."

_"Time for me to go."_ Aaron told himself. There were at least two men in the room with Sivya, nobody else, from what he could hear. People were quite loud without realizing it, giving away telltale signs of their presence without realizing it. Aaron went to the knob and like before, gave it a sharp twist before kicking it in.

What he didn't expect to find was Sivya being held hostage, a gun to the temple of her head. Her captor, a burly man with a South African accent and blond hair yanked the gun away only to point it at Aaron.

"Drop your weapon, or she gets it!" To make his point he jabbed the barrel of the gun at her head. She was frozen in place, eyes wide. Her hands were not bound, something Aaron found odd. "I said drop it!" He screamed. The other man, one of Turkish descent, brandished an AK-47, clearly used before.  
>"Alright, alright, just put the gun down, and nobody gets hurt," Aaron soothed holding his Beretta high in the air. "Just let her go and we can all walk away from this alive, okay?"<p>

"I ain't letting her go," the South African growled, jerking her closer to him. "Drop your weapon and maybe I'll let you live. You're outnumbered two to one."

"Clearly," Aaron remarked.

"Drop it!"

Aaron's hand hovered for an instant a moment's hesitation. "Okay, I'll drop it." He began to crouch and set the handgun on the concrete floor.

The man jerked the barrel of the gun to the other man. "Take his weapon," he barked. As the Turkish man stepped forward to take Aaron's weapon, chaos broke loose.

When the man had removed the gun from her, Sivya took the opportunity, wriggling loose with an impetus of strength, spinning about. She stepped down hard on his foot and pinning it down. As he stepped back, trying to get loose, she slugged the man full in the jaw and mouth releasing her footstep. He staggered back, one hand flying to his face. Teeth had been knocked loose and his lip was beginning to swell. He still had the gun in his other hand. He raised it up to shoot, not caring about the consequences he would receive for breaking Tabitha's orders.

"You little. . ." he snarled, readying to shoot her.

At the same time, Aaron dipped down, snatching the gun up and he went into a combat roll towards the door. He raised the Beretta up and fired once, twice, into the chest of the South African. Then, he turned to the Turkish man and fired a third time. In the small space the gunshots seemed particularly loud, ringing harshly off the walls Both men dropped in an instant. The ordeal over, he flipped the safety switch off and sheathed it back into the holster under the shirt. He went to Sivya, placing a comforting hand on her shoulders, She was still frozen in place, her chest heaving as the adrenaline rush receded.

"That, was a wallop of a right hook." Aaron whistled admiringly. He then spun her about to face him. "Sivya, are you alright?"

Her face set, she nodded, her lips in a tight line. Then, as the river breaks the dam, she flung herself at him, sobbing in his chest. He was taken by surprise by the sudden move, but reached around, hugging her. "Shhhh, it's okay Sivya. You're okay now, I promise. Nobody's going to get you here, not while I'm here." She sobbed for a few minutes more, until she could cry no more tears. She looked up at him.

"Promise?"

"I swear. They didn't hurt you, did they? Did they touch you, because if they did, lucky for them I can't bring them back from the dead and shot them a second time."

She shook her head. "No, they didn't hurt me. They tied me to a chair and gagged me, but they didn't do anything else."

Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Now, let's get you back to Marik and Odion. Marik was worried about you." He stopped, remembering the flute. "Wait, here." He fished in the pocket, pulling the _rhaita_ out and he handed it to her. "I think this is yours." She held the flute tightly to her chest, grateful.

"Thank you." she paused. "How did you find me?"

Aaron decided then that it was the opportunity to embellish Marik's role in the tale, just to "speed things along". I didn't find you, Marik did. He used his magic to find you. If he hadn't been dealing with Tabitha or whatever he name is, he would have come here. He was about the tear the city apart to find you."

She flushed. "He was?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die," He made an "X" over his heart and she giggled, if haltingly. Good. Hopefully she wouldn't have horrible dreams tonight. She didn't deserve them. "Let's get you back to them, okay?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The _yami_ glowered at Odion as he watched them cautiously. "I never would have thought I would get to meet you face to face, considering all the other times." He shrugged at this.

Odion raised his disk. "You aren't supposed to be here," Odion growled. "You aren't supposed to exist. You were banished to the Shadow Realm."

"And yet, here I am."

"So then I must eliminate you, to bring Marik back, the _real_ Marik back."

"You can certainly try. I'm staying right where I'm at."

"You can fight this Marik!" Odion told the _yami,_ much to his displeasure. "You can banish him for good! You did it once, you can do it once more!"

"He can't hear you, Odion." the _yami _laughed. "I made sure of that."

"_Yes I can, you little prick." _Marik, the good one, shouted from the confines of his mental prison.

He ignored him and turned his attention outward to Odion, who still had his duel disk raised. "I will fight you to my last breath _yami_ and I will free Marik from the darkness that is the Seal! You hear me Marik! I'll free you!"

Growling deep in his throat, the _yami_ went for his duel disk, the card he stole from Tshilaba in there, and activated it. "Then you too, shall follow the fate of Tshilaba! Duel!

"I go first," he continued, drawing the card. "I summon my Gil Garth in attack mode and place one card, face down and end my turn."

"Very well then," Odion drew his card. "I summon my Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier in attack mode and I activate my magic card, Temple of the Kings. " Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier was a man cloaked in black robes stamped with silver ankh's. In his hands he wielded a longspear with a broad leaf shaped spearhead. Behind the monster, a temple of Egyptian design rose from the earth, dominating the landscape. Pillars flanked Odion and the lonely Gravekeeper monster. "Then I place one card face down and end my turn."

The _yami_ said nothing, drawing a single card. The uncanny silence disturbed Odion, until he started to laugh, long and loud, the pitch maniacal. "You may think your precious little temple may save you, but I know exactly what you're planning on doing, and I know exactly how to stop it. I place my trap card, Dust Tornado and destroy your Temple of the Kings!" As he spoke, a tornado, whipping up dust and debris swept through Odion's side of the field, obliterating the temple within a matter of moments, bricks and mortar flying. "And now I can place my own card, and I choose the Seal of Orichalcos!"

"_No! No, don't do it!" _Marik screamed, pounding on the walls that made his prison. It was like looking through a window, witnessing the duel take place. _"Don't!" _ He sagged down, feeling as useless as ever, unable to prevent the activation. _"Odion."_

"I'm warning you spirit," Odion said, pointing, his voice like the imperial edict of a forgotten ruler. "You don't want to do this."

"But if I didn't, then why would I play the card?" The spirit slipped the card into the Field spell slot of the Disk, feeling the energies surge through him. Marik screamed in agony as the Seal was placed, the magic repellant against the very core of his being. It reminded him of black vines, wrapping tightly around his soul, his spirit, to squeeze the life force from him to fuel its own dark agenda. Was this was Tshilaba felt, he wondered. The agony of the Seal, the accursed stone that caused so much misery. If that was the case, then why did she seem to enjoy it, just like the other man, Gurimo? Was it the ecstasy in the agony? Or something else, like a drug being injected into one's veins. He clutched himself, hoping that Odion could find a way to end the spell and free him from his prison.

Odion watched as the Seal expanded, entrapping him in the magic circle. He was experienced in the ways of magic, witnessing his sister and brother practice for years, either in the open or illicitly, even if he could not—it was simply not in his heritage, despite the spells tattooed in his skin. He knew the inner workings of a magic circle, what comprised it and the various ways of constructing one; however, in spite of this, he had little idea where to begin with this one. It seemed to drain his energy, making him weaker the instant it encased him. The six pointed star was beyond him, no true magic used six in their workings; seven and three were the preferred numbers, for numerology's sake. And he had no idea what to make of the runes that ringed the barrier. They were in a language that he could not begin to comprehend. Many magic circles, included the two that Marik had created recently, had the infrastructure of the spell and circle written in the runes, like a "how to" manual. If one knew the words, one could turn it against the user and deconstruct the circle with relative ease, as one could dismantle an appliance.

When the Seal trapped them, Gil Garth, the _yami's _ warrior monster, was branded with a miniature replica of the the Seal , increasing its attack points to 2300. "Now Gil Garth, attack Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier now!"

"Activate Book of Moon! I can choose one monster on your side of the field and flip it back to face down defense mode." Odion called out. Gil Garth stopped mid movement, sword outstretched, and hopped back to his respective side on the field, crouched. The spirit growled in frustration as Odion's monster was left untouched.

"Fine! I'll destroy him later, as well as every other monster you place on the field! Then, once I'm finished with them, I shall have your soul as well!"

"_No, you won't!"_

_ "Silence you little brat!"_ The _yami_ sneered. Marik's protests were beginning to grow in strength and frequency. It would seem that he was rallying against him, but no matter; he would be the one in control in the end.

Meanwhile, Marik increased his assault, trying to break through and gain control once and for all. But there was a problem: Odion had ensnared himself in the Seal, and only one can walk away, unless they found a way to break the Seal before then. He shivered to himself: how could he be willing to wipe away the soul of his brother? Or of himself, should it come down to it, because he knew that his darker side will switch places, leave himself vulnerable to the power of the Orichalcos.

So then what?

He held his head in his hands, hair obscuring his features, as he looked on with weary eyes. He had to keep fighting, to save himself and his brother. He stood upright, now determined to do whatever it took to save Odion from the fate of the Seal.

Even if it meant losing his own soul in the process.

He would then have to give Sivya and Aaron his regards.

_"I'm sorry, Sivya."_

** And now would be the time to grab tissues, because it's going to be a doozy. Seriously. Even I needed them at one point. :/**


	37. Chapter 37: Finality

Chapter 37: Finality

**For some odd reason, I never really did like the original name of the Millennium Necklace, The Millennium Tauk. A **_**tauk**_** is a necklace yes, but the term refers to those worn by those of the Celtic heritage, not Egyptian. It is basically a band of metal, often gold or silver, that went around someone's neck. It wasn't an enclosed band, but at each end of the band there was kind of a cap, often in the shape of some fantastical creature or normal animals, like horses and wolves.**

** That was admittedly a little random.**

_He found himself in an unusual prison, one of his own making that had more than likely been place for many years, at the very least in the aftermath of Battle City. It would seem that the spirit had found a way to conceal a small part of himself in the deepest parts of his subconscious and the Orichalcos somehow exacerbate it's strength, to the point where it had the capability of taking over his body. He could only hope that Odion could stave him off and win the duel._

_ Marik stood up to take a look around his surroundings. He had heard of the concept of the "soul room"-all those who interacted with the Millennium Items did-, but he had never actually explored his own, probably because he was always afraid of what he would uncover in there. It was essentially, the construction of one's own soul into a physical expression, like a labyrinth, as Atem's had been—or so Yugi told him once upon a time. _

_ The room looked like the inner workings of an ancient temple, which was obvious, considering his heritage. Hieroglyphics lined the walls from the floor to ceiling, depicting tales of his life and his deepest and innermost secrets. He wandered to one wall, seeing the freshest carvings, clearly telling of recent events. He ran his fingers on the upraised carvings, the paint fresh and bright under the fingertips, the blacks, reds, blues and greens bright as if they had been painted yesterday. For Marik it was easy to read; the pictographs were his native language, even before learning Arabic, or English. As he read some of the carvings, he began to flush with embarrassment, grateful that nobody would ever be able to come to this space._

_ He moved away from the wall, to the head of the room, where a small flight of stairs were, flanked by pillars. This was far more derelict than the walls were, the floor crumbling away and cast in shadow. A crumpled robe was sprawled across the stairs, as well as the Millennium Rod, discarded and tarnished from disuse. Something caught his eye on the Rod and he knelt to it. Intertwined with the Rod was a small vine, small blue and violet flowers blossoming all along its length. He picked up the Rod, only for it to crumble away to dust and blow away with some nonexistent wind. All that was left were the vines and the flowers, draping down from his hand. If the hieroglyphics were personal and perhaps embarrassing, than these were far more personal, and intimate, depending on the interpretation._

_ The blue flower was the very same flower Sivya had plucked, before she had been absconded off by Tshilaba's men._

_ The violet was the very same hue as his eyes._

_ He placed the flowers carefully down, where nothing could step on them and gingerly stepped around the robe, clearly a Rare Hunter one. At the top of the steps was a large round window, his view to the world and to the duel taking place. One would say that the eyes were the window to the soul, but in Marik's case, there was one _in_ his soul. He placed one hand on it, gauging its thickness. It was his escape, Marik realized. But he would have to break it, in order to even think about regaining control of his body again, and saving Odion in the process._

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

"My move, once again. I place my Gravekeeper's Priestess on the field and then I equip her with my magic card, Wonder Wand, which further increases her points by a five hundred," Odion began. "And thanks even more to her special ability, every Gravekeeper on the field, including her, gets a 200 attack point boost." Odion always liked Gravekeeper's Priestess; she reminded him of Ishizu, a priestess in her own right, when she possessed the Millennium Necklace. Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier also gained a point boost, 200, but it was enough to wipe away the spirit's Gil Garth and do some damage with Gravekeeper's Priestess. "Now Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier, wipe out his Gil Garth. Thanks to his ability, if my attack is greater than your defense, the difference is taken out of your life points!" Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier lunged forward, impaling the spear deep into the gap of the armor between the head and shoulder plate. Odion's monster gave a sharp twist and Gil Garth was wiped from the field.

"And now Gravekeeper's Priestess, attack the spirit's life points directly!" His other monster, the priestess garbed in white and wielding the Wonder Wand, aimed the staff directly at the spirit's chest, firing a blast of crackling magical energy at him. The spirit gasped as the magic made contact with his chest and he staggered back, until his back made contact with the Seal's barrier. He was now down a good 2000 points, half his original count. Odion had gotten better at Dueling since Battle City. He would have to keep that in mind. "I end my turn with a face down."

"You might think that you have the upper hand, but not until I play Drillago in attack mode, than play Monster reborn, which brings back Gil Garth from the Graveyard. Thanks to the Orichalcos, Drillago gets a 500 point boost to bring him up to 2100. Now Drillago, take out his Spear Soldier! And Gil Garth, eliminate his priestess!"

"Activate my effect monster, Charm of Shabti!"

"What?" He was unfamiliar with this monster.

Odion showed him the card. The image of a small _shabti_ figure was flanked by a pair of eyes. "If I discard this from my hand, all damage to those of the Gravekeeper archetype is whittled down to zero. And since Gravekeeper's priestess, equipped with Wonder Wand, is going to the Graveyard, I can draw two new cards."

The spirit uttered a foul curse as Odion's monsters were wiped from the field, but the man lost no life points and got to draw two new cards. Odion _was_ crafty indeed. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

"_Aha yes!" _Marik wanted to crow in triumph. Odion had learned quite a few new tricks. _"You've got him now!"_ As he spoke, a wave of Orichalcos energy went through him, as if determined to silence the man. It was arduous, the pain was, but he had to fight it. For Odion and his own sake. He remained upright, pounding on the prison that kept him away. _"Get. Out. Of. My. Head!"_

"I summon my Gravekeeper's Recruiter to the field in attack mode!" Gravekeeper's recruiter looked an awful lot like Odion himself, clad in ceremonial robes and a bald pate. "And I sacrifice him to summon one of my most powerful monsters: Ghost knight of Jackal! And with this, I activate my

Gravekeeper's Recruiter's special ability, when I send him to the graveyard, I can search for a Gravekeeper from my deck and put it in my hand, as long as it has 1500 or lower attack points." Odion went through his deck, pulling out the card and placing it in his hand. Ghost Knight of Jackal was a fearsome monster, a bipedal man with the head of a jackal, clad in greenish blue armor and wielding a double bladed sword, all while astride a horse, clad in greenish blue barding. "And I play my trap card, Horn of the Phantom Beast. This gives my Ghost Knight and eight hundred point boost and every time I destroy one of your monsters, I can draw a card. Ghost Knight of Jackal, destroy the _yami's_ Drillago!"

"Activate my card, Magic Cylinder, which redirects the attack right back at you and thanks to your own little trap card, you lose 2500 attack points!" Odion winced as Ghost Knight charged right into a gaily painted cylinder, only for it to charge right back out of another one and into him.

_"Odion! Odion!" _Marik began to pound harder at the barrier, determined to save him.

Odion fell to his knees, the breath knocked out of him, his life points now down to 1500. He was close to losing the duel, and then, his soul. But it wasn't just his he was concerned about—in fact, he wasn't concerned about his own state at all—but of Marik's the good one, and his fight against his darker side. "What you fail to realize," Odion began wheezing a little as he slowly stood back up, knees a little wobbly. "Is that I am not fighting for myself, but rather, I am fighting for the Marik ,the side you have trapped and I will keep fighting until my very last breath. Marik! I know you can hear me! Do not worry about me, I will be alright. You have to keep fighting, to break through and banish this spirit once and for all! You can do it! I believe in you!"

"He can't hear you!" The _yami_ leered, trying to break Odion's indomitable spirit. "He is nothing more than a shadow of his former self, too weak to fight me. Your words won't save him!"

_"You wanna bet! Get out of my head and my body!"_

The spirit seemed to freeze, one hand clutching at his head.

"Keep fighting him Marik!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" The spirit screamed, but at this point, it was difficult to know whom the spirit was screeching at. What Odion did know, was the the Seal seemed to react instinctively to the _yami's _emotions. The Seal lashed out in retaliation, a whip of glowing green energy surged outward, striking Odion in the chest. The man stumbled back, his back colliding painfully with the barrier, which unleashed a burning sensation all across his body. Odion bit his tongue painfully, in hopes of keeping from crying out, to give away any weakness.

Odion stepped forward, pain rippling in waves in various places, but he ignored it. He wasn't concerned about himself; he was going to save his brother from the darkness.

"You are nothing but a coward, lashing out at me like that. What's the matter, can't face me directly?" he taunted, ignoring the blood in his mouth, the coppery tang overwhelming his senses.

"I am no coward!" the spirit screeched, the Seal rumbling in consent. "I will defeat you and the Seal will take your soul, as it should be!"

"But my turn isn't finished yet. I play one card face down, and end my turn."

"Fine!" The spirit spat, clearly irritated and angered. "My monster may not be powerful enough to attack your Ghost Knight, but I can make sure you never get to my points. I place one card, face down in defense mode and end my turn!"

_"You're growing weak,"_ Marik said tauntingly, continuously pounding away at his prison. _"I'll win yet!"_

_ "No you won't!"_

Odion smirked at how sloppily the spirit was playing. Clearly, he was losing his patience, at Marik, who was fighting him, and the duel, which, while he was ahead by five hundred points, was going poorly in his favor. He drew his card. "I place one card, in the face down defensive position, and then activate my magic card, Monster Reborn and I bring back my Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier. Now Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier, take out the spirit's face down with your spear attack!" The Gravekeeper lunged forward, the spear in a single hand, piercing the heart of the card, to reveal the spirit's face-down card, Slate Warrior.

"I activate my Slate Warrior's special ability, when I flip it, it gains a 500 point boost to defense and attack."

"Yes, but it is still destroyed and . .wait, what is happening to my Spear Soldier?" Odion asked, clearly surprised by the sudden turn of events. The Spear Soldier grew weaker in strength, his attack and defense drained by 500 points each.

"You forgot Slate Warrior's other ability in that the monster who destroys him looses 500 points of attack and defense," the spirit laughed insanely. "You are well on the final path to losing this duel, and your soul!"

_"Don't listen to him Odion! Don't! I'll fight this!"_ He pounded away at the window. The gesture seemed futile, since the glass was so thick and sturdy, but he had to try. He felt no exhaustion, no strain as he hammered away, not even his fists ached from the constant toil. _"I'll get out of here, if it is the last thing I do!"_

_ "I'd like to see you try!"_ the spirit sneered. _"The glass's so thick, not even a dragon could __escape."_

_ "Well, I'm not a dragon, and unlike said dragon, I have a reason to keep fighting."_

_ "Will you keep fighting when everything is gone, your brother, your body and your precious girl?"_

_ "Don't. . .even."_

_ "You and I once shared a soul room, do not forget that. And I know that you cannot escape. The Orichalcos will never permit your escape!"_

_ "We'll see, won't we!"_

The spirit growled in frustration. He couldn't admit it, but the glass was weakening and if he didn't end this duel soon, then he would lose control and he had no desire to be wiped off the face of the planet. "I sacrifice my Drillago to play my Summoned Skull! He gets a boost to equal 3000. Obliterate Odion's Spear Soldier and end this duel!"

_ "No! No no no!"_

Then, he saw it.

The first crack in the glass.

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. _

He led her to the Jeep quickly, ripping away the tarp in record time. He knew he already made a fuss with the corpses; thankfully, the police and security forces were known to be lax and would probably sweep it under the proverbial rug should they go rooting into the backgrounds of said thugs. Sivya was right behind him; her eyes were red and puffy and swollen from crying, not that anybody would blame her, and she had mentioned that her right hand hurt from slugging the mercenary in the face.

He kept his eyes peeled for anybody coming, but the alleyway was silent, save for a dog or other mammal, rooting through the trash cans some distance away, the echo of the clanging trash cans heard even from that distance. Sivya quickly slid into the front seat, buckling herself in the passenger seat, lest she go flying out while Aaron was driving at breakneck speeds through city traffic. He backed the jeep out from its hiding place and careened down the alleyway the same way he came, trying to keep anybody suspicious off his tail, all while not drawing attention to himself.

"Hang on kid, we're going for a ride!" He warned.

She clung to whatever she could, wishing that she had some of those patches from her excursion across the sea to prevent any upcoming nausea that would result from this ride. She took a glance over, to find that Aaron had one hand on his handgun the entire time of the drive, as if waiting for someone to catch up to him, resulting in a drawn out gun battle in the city streets. Sivya shuddered, taking a glance down at the compartment where Aaron stored the AR, or whatever it was called—a gun was a gun to her-. Hopefully, he wouldn't ask her to use it. She'd probably be more of a hindrance than a help.

So, she did what she could do, and that was pray, for the safety of herself and of her friends.

_"Please be alright Marik."_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._

_ "_Not so fast!" Odion shouted. "I play my own Magic Cylinder, which repels your attack and wipes out your Summoned Skull."

The spirit smirked, sending a shiver down Odion's spine. "You didn't think that I would go down that easily, did you? I play Mirror Force and end this game!"

_"No!"_

"I play my final card, Mystical Refpanel!"

"What!"

He continued to pound away at the mirror, where he had seen the crack. It was growing bigger, maybe even big enough to break through and save his brother from the Orichalcos. _"ODION! ODION!"_

Then-

"Maaaaaarik!" It was Sivya and Aaron, rushing across. They stopped fifteen yards away, both of their faces in clear horror. Marik from the confines of his prison, felt shame. How could he face Aaron and Sivya after what he had done? How could he even live with _himself_? As he thought this, a sudden surge of strength passed through him, like a tsunami. He _wouldn't_ let them see him like this, this, monster! He threw his shoulder against the cracks, hearing the glass shudder and groan as spider web cracks went through it. The temple, his soul room, rumbled in distress. Encouraged, he did it again, and again.

_"I'll. Win. This. YET!"_ The glass window gave way and he tumbled forward, into the darkness.

_ He found himself facing the spirit on the dueling field, the Seal of Orichalcos surrounding them. As he looked on though, Marik could see fine, web like cracks running through the Seal, no longer as imposing as it once been. Both of them bore duel disks. He pointed a finger at the_ yami. _"You can control me no more!" He told the spirit. "You lose!"_

_ "You will never be able to live without me," the spirit insisted. "I will always be a part of you, the shadows in the dark as you tread, the monster in your nightmares. You will never win, you will never escape me! I will always be there!"_

_ Then, Marik held up something. The vines, liberally covered with the violet and blue flowers. "Wanna bet?"_

_ The Orichalcos shuddered and groaned, the cracks growing wider, the pieces beginning to crumble, the runes lining the circle glowing with a fierce light._

_ "To put it in the words of one of my friends: You lose!"_

_ The Orichalcos shattered into a thousand bits. The spirit watched in horror as the pieces flew in a fearsome windstorm, gusts whipping all around him. The shards of the Seal cut painfully at the spirit, like pieces of broken glass, revealing green blood, the same hue as the Seal. Then as the pieces died down, the _yami_ looked at his hands, only to watch in horror as he began to blow away like dust in the gale. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out as he was scattered to the winds._

_ Marik instinctively went to his pants pocket, where the accursed stone laid. He pulled out the stone, holding it in his palm, where it too dissolved to dust, blowing away as well._

_ "It's over."_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

Odion watched as the spirit was at an inner war with himself. Marik was fighting, and clearly winning. The spirit fell down to his knees, clutching painfully at his head, babbling nonsense. There was a clear change in the current atmosphere, it no longer seemed as dark as it had been with the spirit in control. Even the Seal seemed different, not nearly as malevolent as it had been, the sentience gone. He waited with bated breath as the spirit stood back upright, weary, arms hanging down, legs wobbly as he fought to remain upright.

His head tilted up, to reveal the face of Marik. He had banished the spirit, the _yami_ for good. The Seal on his forehead was gone, clearly vanishing when Marik won his body back.

"It's over," he gasped.

Odion nodded, dropping his duel disk. "Yes, it is. I'm glad."

Marik cast a glance about them. "But we're still trapped in the Seal. Only one of us can leave."

"I know."

Marik looked up at the Mystical Refpanel in the sky, the attack ensnared in the confines of the enchanted mirror. "Aim the mirror at me."

"What!" Aaron shouted from the sidelines. "Are you crazy!"

"What does that do?" Sivya asked, but deep in her heart she already knew.

"Mystical Refpanel catches an opponent's attack and can redirect it at anybody he chooses. If he aims it at Marik, like he asked, then the duel would be over and Marik would lose his soul to the Seal."

She looked faint, hands going to her mouth. "Oh, no," she said softly.

"I messed up, I messed up more than I have before," he told Odion. "I lost control of myself and because of it, we're in this mess. So please, let me redeem myself somehow and aim the attack at me and leave the Seal, as it should be."

A peculiar, soft look passed over Odion, the years of worry and turmoil erased from his face. He looked, for once, at peace, with himself and the world. He shook his head. "I can't do that Marik. You still have to look for the stones Tshilaba had stolen. Bring them back from Midas and restore honor to the family."

"You won't-"

Odion nodded. "I can and I will."

"Please don't!"

"I'm sorry Marik but it is the only way. I choose to redirect the attack of Mystical Refpanel at me!"

"Don't Odion!" he begged.

However, his words were in vain as Odion was struck with the full blast of the attack. He didn't flinch, nor did he scream in pain. He took it steadfastly and with a calm Marik never recalled seeing. He looked to be at peace with himself. Marik ran across the stage, to catch Odion as he fell back. "Odion, I'm so sorry," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry Marik. I am not dying and I know you'll find a way to make this right." Marik could not say a word, only a choked sob as Odion continued. "I'm proud of you, for winning. You'll make this right, I'm sure." His eyes slid closed, as if he was to go into a deep sleep.

Marik could only hold his brother and sob.

** I apologize for making anybody cry, or want to cry, in the reading of this chapter. I was on the verge of tears myself.**

** Marik's line is a line from the original series, in case anybody caught that little Easter egg ;)**

** And I am **_**INSANELY **_**excited for the new Pokemon game coming out in October. The Legendary (one of them) is a deer, with RAINBOW. ANTLERS.**

** RAINBOW ANTLERS, PEOPLE.**

** MADE WITH RAINBOWS.**

** You may continue with your regular activities.**

** Have a tissue.**


	38. Chapter 38: Many Returns

Chapter 38: Many Returns

***Avoids flying debris chucked at her*. Yes, I know I just left all of ya'll on a cliffhanger; I'm probably now seen as a horrible person, but it's important to the plot! Honest! I was going to tack on another chapter to the previous one, but then that would mean spoiler alerts and everything would have been wonky. :/**

He eyed the glass of wine again, wondering if he was truly hallucinating, due to the alcohol. Dartz merely chuckled. "You are not hallucinating, I can assure you of that."

"I most certainly hope so," Pegasus said, fiddling with the glass flute. "I do like my nightcaps, after all." He set the drink aside. "I was positive though, that you had been defeated,banished to . . . wherever it the Pharaoh had banished you to."

"So he had thought. What he had not realized was that I used magic to escape the wreckage that was the temple. I have been wandering since, hoping to redeem myself for the heinous crimes I have committed, although I fear that no matter what I do, they will be nothing more than a drop of forgiveness in a sea of misery." Dartz bowed. "May I sit?" He made a gesture to a chair just behind himself, a chair that Pegasus _knew_ had been on the other side of the library. He must have somehow moved it using magic, or telekinesis, Pegasus could not figure out which, nor did he care to at the moment; he was simply trying to figure why there was a man who was supposed to be dead in his personal library.

Dartz only flashed an enigmatic smile and settled into the seat, lacing his fingers together and placing them across his lap. "I'm sure you're wondering why I came tonight."

"As any sane person would be."

"Yes, well, since the downfall of the Leviathan, I have been traveling the globe, hoping to begin to make up for the deeds I have committed, as I just mentioned. While journeying through Spain and Morocco, I noticed something peculiar, rumblings in the earth, deep rumblings. These weren't earthquakes though, I have personal experience with those. No, these were mystical rumblings in the earth's crust. I noticed them while going through other locales as well, all far flung from each other. Now, as I'm sure you know, the legends of Atlantis say that the city was located beyond the Pillars of Hercules, known today as the Straits of Gibraltar. This is true: Atlantis was indeed located beyond the Straits, out towards the Atlantic Ocean, but was destroyed in the war between my father and I, when our clashing magical forces caused earthquakes and tsunamis, wiping the City of the Rings from the face of the earth. I spent my life, magically extended of course, to somehow resurrect the city, but now, I see that to do so would be folly, as it is buried under thousands of years of sediment and water.

"However, there was something else in that city, something more important than the city itself, which was the primary reason for my insistence in its resurrection, among other things."

"And that would be?" Pegasus asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"The Heartstone."

Pegasus fumbled over the unfamiliar term. "The "Heartstone"?"

"Yes. When the Orichalcos fell from the sky, a piece fell into a fountain in the center of the palace complex. This was where I first uncovered the stone. I removed the stone from there and eventually, I fell under its spell. When I had been enchanted, the stone had "told" me to return the stone back into the fountain, where I had first found it. I did not question its demands, but I wondered why it would ask such a thing of me.

"The following morning, I went to the fountain, to discover small crystals of the Orichalcos growing in the water, branches of crystals expanding outward as a tree spreads its roots. The stone was growing, it was _alive_.

"Shortly after this discovery, the war between my father and I began and the city was lost to the depths of the ocean, this "Heartstone", as I called it, lost. For some time after this, I had sought to find a way to bring the city back from the depths, to gain access to the Heartstone, but the spells to rise the city were lost to me and I was unable to do it, so I went to my other option, which was the harvest of souls using what Orichalcos stones I had left. When the Pharaoh defeated the Leviathan, I was under the assumption that I would hear no more of the stone and I could live the rest of my natural life—once I had undone the immortality spell I placed upon myself—in peace. With the rumblings in the earth, I fear that the city is on the verge of rising once more from the depths of its tomb, revealing the Heartstone to the world, or to whoever managed to resurrect the city.

"This is a very bad thing indeed, for if the Heartstone is coaxed back to lif, the power of the Orichalcos will hold sway over the world and the Leviathan will be reborn in a more powerful form. Even more so since I suspect that the stone was merely in a state of hibernation."

"And who do you think is doing this?"

"Well, there is one man, I encountered him many hundreds of years ago, during the reign of the Nameless Pharaoh, and I gave him the tools to power. I had seen a kindred soul when I encountered him, not once, but twice, over a span of nearly seventy years, and I set him on the path. While I do not know much about him, I suspect that he has changed his name many times, I do know this:

"When I first encountered him, he was a scribe in the service of a Pharaoh, father to the Nameless Pharaoh. When I met him once more seventy years later, he was hideously scarred on his face and chest, like he had been severely burned. He carried a leather mask with him, presumably to hide his features."

Pegasus nodded. He knew nothing of a man that wore a mask and was hideously scarred. Despite his retirement, Pegasus still kept a pulse on the mystical happenings of the world, whether major or minor, just in case. "I do not know a man with that description," he admitted.

"I see." Dartz nodded sadly.

"But, if I may pry, why did you come to me?"

"Because you had once forged the tools of my demise, with the creation of the "Legendary Knights", through the card "Legend of Heart". I was hoping you could assist me once again, to destroy the Heartstone and the Orichalcos once and for all."

"I'm not sure I know what I can do to help there. Since you know much about it, do you have any idea on how to destroy it?"

"I have an idea, but I cannot do it on my own."

"Then how may I help?"

"I need to locate the Knights of Justice, Wisdom and Renewal."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Yugi sat on the edge of the bed, Tea sitting in a chair across from him, slowly sipping on a soda can through a straw. The past two days have been hectic and long, the quarterfinals and semifinals taking place over the span of said days. They had managed to remove all the Orichalcos stones from their disks, wrapping them in a handkerchief. Mai then took great pleasure in stomping on the bundle with her spiked boots, grinding them into dust. Had Yugi known it was _that_ easy to destroy them, then he would have merely stomped on it when he had first encountered Dartz. According to Mai though, only those who had truly expelled the stone could destroy them that simply. The darkness in one's heart kept the stone alive. Only by purging the darkness through a trial could one resist the allure of the Orichalcos and it would no longer hold sway over their soul, which was why she could destroy them with the ease she did. He guessed she took a pleasure from "curbstomping" (as Tristan had so "eloquently" put it) them to pieces.

"Drink?" Tea offered.

"No, not really. Thanks though."

She bit her lip, the silence between them like the gulf of an abyss. It was not an awkward silence, merely a silence shared by two close friends. "You excited about tomorrow?" she asked, a part of her fully knowing what his answer would be. At least they could somewhat enjoy the tournament's end, with the threat of the Orichalcos expelled.

He shrugged. "I guess, since we don't have to deal with soul stealing rocks any more."

"Yeah. The semi-finals were doozies of duels though, at least from my point of view."

The quarterfinals, with the Orichalcos looming overhead, proceeded quickly, almost enjoyable in fact. Mai and Ryou had an intense one, going back and forth until Mai wiped away Ryou's poor monsters with her Harpy's Pet Dragon and combination with the Harpies, who gave the dragon quite a boost. Then there was the final duel of that day, Yugi versus Rebecca. Had he not known the cause of the collapsing duelists, he would have been concerned about dueling Rebecca, whom he regarded as close as a sibling, as did Rebecca- she only "flirted" with him to irk Tea, she told him once on a dig. Yugi had been sponsored by her grandfather during his years at the university and the two were often in contact with each other. That duel was a difficult one for Yugi, for Rebecca had found a way to prevent all of his higher monsters from attacking, while she sapped life points from him little by little. He only won when he played Mystical Space Typhoon to wipe away Gravity Bind, the card that caused so many issues.

Then there was the following day. Midas did not mess with the arrangement, so Yugi faced Kaiba, a predictable duel but an exciting one, and Joey and Mai. _That_ was not so predictable. From what Yugi could gather, they had made some sort of bet beforehand, one he had no knowledge of, and they had been bantering it about it the entire time. He suspected that for the both of them, it was the ideal rematch since the Orichalcos fiasco, a duel on even terms. Nobody knew who to root for, poor Serenity was torn in half, but in in the end, Joey managed to triumph in the end, barely, but he did. When they shook hands in the center, Mai whispered something in his ear and he smiled, mouthing something back. Joey still wouldn't say what she told him, a smug grin plastered to his face for a good portion of the day. Tristan and Duke mercilessly ribbed him for the rest of the day.

"Yeah, it'll be like Duelist Kingdom and Battle City again. Joey's gotten tons better since then."

"Careful, he might give you a run for your money, King of Games," she teased.

"I'd like to see him give Kaiba a run for his money. I'm the King of Games, remember? I don't think anybody can beat me," he kidded, for Yugi would never say such a statement seriously.

Tea flicked the pop tab of her can at him, which landed on his lap. "You're bragging again."

"Really? Gee, I didn't notice," he joked. "I guess it's because I'm that awesome." he flicked the tab right back at her.

That was the opening salvo of a pop tab war, the tiny piece of metal flying back and forth across the room with increasing speed. Then it accidentally went down the headboard of the bed, losing it to the abyss populated by dust bunnies and other horrors that lurked in the realm that was "under the bed". Both of them went over, looking down the crack between the headboard and wall. "So much for that," Tea said.

"It was fun while it lasted."

"What are you talking about? I can simply beat you with the pillow here."

"You wouldn't beat the King of Games up with a pillow, would you?" he pleaded, making his eyes as large and innocent as he could.

"No, I'll beat up my best friend Yugi Muto with the pillow instead." To make her point, she tapped him lightly over the head with the pillow in hand.

"That's not fair," he pouted, unpleasant mood dissipated.

"Wanna bet?" After a beat, she continued, leaning against the headboard. "You know, we've all changed since high school."

He sat next to her. "Tell me about it. I grew five inches."

She repressed a laugh. "Not like that," she playfully shoved him away. "I mean in other ways. We're. . .we're all grown up."

"Yeah, it's kind of scary, if you think about it. I guess you could say that this is sort of a last "hurrah" for us, before you know, life happens."

"Yeah, but at least the whole gang's back together for the "hurrah", even Kaiba, if he won't admit it." she paused, "Remember the friendship symbol back in high school?"

"Oh goodness yes! Joey was complaining about that marker for days!"

"Yeah, I was such a dork back then, thinking that we need something like_ that _to keep us together. We stuck together all this time, smiley face or no. It was pretty dorky, thinking back on it."

"I didn't think it was _that_ dorky."

"Oh please," she snorted. "I was such a dork back then. . . You know, if I decided to that again, that circle would be _huge."_

"Yes, but I doubt that Kaiba would ever subject himself to _such_ an indignity." He placed his hand down onto the bed, only to accidentally make contact with Tea's. Both glanced down, clearly startled, but neither of them made a move. He slowly curled his hand around hers.

"Hey Yugi?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll always be best friends, right?"

He nodded. "Of course. I can't see us _not _being friends."

He wasn't sure then, what had happened next, but he found himself leaning into her, just as she was leaning into him. When he realized this, his brain instantly went into overdrive. He was an expert in strategy games and ancient history, but girls were an entirely different subject matter, even more so on the romantic side of things.

Especially when it was your best friend all through high school and only just know you realized that yes, she liked you too.

In _that _way.

Their noses were just touching when there was a sudden and curt pounding at the door. In surprise, both of them had practically flung themselves away from each other, Yugi falling off the bed in the process, he was so startled. Tea leaned over the side, where Yugi was half sprawled on the carpet, his legs still on the bed.

"Ow. . ."

"You okay there, Yugi?" The moment had been broken, but he doubt that things could be the way they were again.

"Yeah, I think so." He slowly sat up. "I'll go get that," he added weakly, hoping that the ever growing blush would be gone by the time he opened the door. He figured that it was Joey or one of the boys coming by, probably to steal some food from his mini-fridge. They always had a way of crashing things like that. He opened the door.

He was greeted by a stranger, enshrouded in a long tan cloak and hood, with bright golden eyes, reminding him of freshly minted coins.

"Hello Yugi."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He was in his room, going over the strategies he had used, wondering how everything could have gone so wrong in his duel with Yugi. It would seem that no matter what he did, Yugi always, _always_ came out on top. It was driving Kaiba insane. What was it? What was his secret?

Could there actually be something to this cockamamie "Heart of the Cards" Yugi always believed in?

He scowled, eying the duel disk and scattered cards across the table.

"Seto, you're beating yourself up over this," Mokuba said, creeping up behind him. "You're still one of the best duelists in the entire world, number two. Can't you be proud of that?" When Seto said nothing, Mokuba added quietly. "I'm proud of you Seto."

Seto lifted his head up, surprised by this remark. Mokuba was always proud of him, no matter what his older brother seemed to do, but this, this felt different. "Really?" he asked, sounding like a child seeking his parents' approval, uncharacteristic of the CEO.

"Yeah," he hugged his brother from behind. "Can't we enjoy tomorrow as just a vacation? "

Seto sighed, eventually caving in. "If you want. I still haven't found Midas' identity yet."

"Seto. . ."

"What?"

"We can figure it out later. Take a break."

He sighed again. "Fine."

"Good. Wanna go to the arcade later?" he stopped, reaching for his phone in his pocket. He tugged it out from his jeans pocket, going to the main screen. "It's Yugi. He wants us to come to his hotel suite ASAP, like now, ASAP. He says it's really _really _important. I wonder what he wants."

He snorted. "It's probably something inane or what not. We don't need to go."

Mokuba's phone buzzed again, as if on cue. He read it again. He paled at the message. "Clearly, he must have heard you. He sent another one."

"What does it say?"

He showed him the phone and Kaiba frowned in displeasure, the light of the phone making the scowl even deeper. He continued to remain silent, standing up and snatching up his coat in a barely contained fury. He stomped out the door, coat still in hand, Mokuba frantically following behind.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They gathered at the door of Yugi's room like a bunch of children eagerly awaiting for Santa's arrival. "So, what do you think the text about? He seemed kind of frantic," Rebecca asked, eying her phone, a piece of equipment whose technological achievements were on the cutting edge of the industry. She plucked the stylus that came with the device, going through the texts. "He didn't say why in my text. It just said for us to come now."

"Same here," Duke eyed the phone. "Where did you get that? I've been wanting one for months."

"It pays to be a child prodigy," she winked, before stashing it away.

"Well, let's find out shall we?" Mai knocked on the door, only to have Yugi open it a crack.

"Hey Mai, guys. Come on in, but. . ." he hesitated. "You might want to brace yourselves."

"What, it isn't Pegasus behind that door, is it?" Bakura asked. "Because I don't feel like explaining why my former _yami_ decided to rip that poor man's eyeball out." At Yugi's silence, he added. "Oh good lord, it _is_ Pegasus, isn't it?"

"I doubt he remembers and if he does, then I'm sure he'll understand." Joey gave the man a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before Yugi opened the door wide.

Ishizu and The Kaiba siblings were already in the room, as well as Tea. There was another man in the room, one wearing a beige tunic and pants, a long cloak of the same hue resting upon his shoulders. His hair, teal in hue, was tied back in a simple ponytail, the hair cascading down his back to almost his hip bones. His eyes were a vibrant gold, striking against his fair face. Every one standing in the threshold sucked in a collective breath, shocked beyond belief at the sight of him.

"I thought. . .I thought he was supposed to be dead," Tristan said, pointing at the man.

"Tell me about it," Rebecca said.

"I have no idea who this man is," Bakura quipped. Serenity nodded in accession.

The man stood upright from his seat, quietly arranging his clothes about himself. "Hello everyone," he said quietly, his words no longer possessing the power and charisma like they used to once upon a time.

Joey sputtered at last, "Dartz, you son of a- "

"Joey!" Serenity shouted, before he could curse at the man.

But while Joey spoke, Mai acted. She stormed over, one hand upright and in a clenched fist. Then, before anybody could stop her, or if she even realized her actions, she punched the man in the mouth and nose. "That's for everything, you snake in the grass!" she spewed furiously, breathing heavily. She looked at her hand, only to see small flacks of blood splattered across her knuckles. "You ruined _everything!_"

Dartz said nothing, dabbing a single hand to his nose, only to see blood on it when he pulled it away. His lip throbbed painfully. "I most certainly deserved that, Ms. Valentine," he admitted at last. He used the edge of his cloak to wipe the blood from his mouth and nose. "I probably deserve a lot more than a mere strike though, nor do I think that a mere apology can erase all the pain I've caused you."

Mai said nothing, using a handkerchief to wipe away the blood from her hands.

Seto grumbled something about "buying out his company" under his breath, only for Mokuba to nudge him and silence his brother with a glance.

Dartz sat back down, his nose still bleeding somewhat. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm here." He pointed to Yugi, Seto and Joey.

"You three, are the very keys to preventing the world from plunging into darkness."

** Rebecca has one of those Samsung Galaxy phones, the ones with the stylus :D. I want one of those **_**very**_** badly lol.**

** And if you were wondering what Mai said to Joey. . .well, tough Twinkies, I won't say it here :p. **_**Maybe**_** you can coax me with a PM, but that's the only way you'll find out :D**

** Originally, Mai wasn't the one to punch Dartz in the face, it was actually supposed to be Joey; however, when I thought about it, I realized that it would have been better for Mai to do the deed.**

**And infinitely more awesome.**

** Just saying.**


	39. Chapter 39: Knights of Atlantis

Chapter 39: Knights of Atlantis

**So, I apologize for taking so long to update. I shouldn't make excuses really, but. . .I do have another semester of college starting up, and while I enjoy all of my classes, my Organic Chemistry laboratory is proving to take up a lot of work. Fun stuff.**

** Also, I got distracted.**

** By plushes.**

** Pokemon plushes.**

** Who knew those things are so darned cute? I pretty much ended up getting ten in all within a short span of time, like three weeks.(Thank you Amazon giftcards) Thankfully they were cheap in price. They're my little happy family now. :D I'd name them all, but who really wants to know that? :/ Unless you really want to. . .**

** A thing to note is that this chapter was supposed to be tacked onto the previous chapter, then the whole Peachshipping scene occurred and to prevent a chapter overload for the readers, this chapter was split off from the other, because goodness knows, this chapter will be probably even longer.**

** Not probably.**

** It is.**

** Whoops.**

** Oh and one more thing, I would **_**highly**_** recommend listening to the album "Illusions", by Thomas Bergersen. The CD provided a lot of inspiration for this chapter and all Atlantis related scenes in the future. **

The three men were in varying stages of shock, even Kaiba, when Dartz proclaimed this. "What do you mean, end of the world?" Yugi asked.

"Here we go again," Tristan muttered under his breath.

"I will explain. When the Orichalcos was first discovered by myself, I was "told" by the stone to leave the first piece, the original, in the fountain where I first discovered it. When I went back to it, I realized the stone had grown, small bunches of crystals growing around it, as roots and branches would grow from a tree trunk. As it continued to grow, so did it power and sometimes, I could harvest pieces of the Orichalcos from it for my own use. But then the destruction of Atlantis occurred and I was left bereft of a method to obtain the power I wanted.

"But in recent years, I have noticed something. While it was naturally assumed that the Orichalco was wiped out when the Pharaoh-"

"Atem," Yugi corrected.

"I see. Many apologies. When The Pharaoh Atem defeated the Leviathan, I realized that there was another source of the Orichalcos's power: the stone still in the fountain in the ruins of Atlantis. Of course, with ten thousand years gone by, I imagine it has grown to immense depths. The Heartstone, as I have named it, is the ultimate source of the Orichalcos. Should someone get a hold of it. . ." he shuddered. "Then the very world that we know of now will be changed drastically.

"It is only with the recent resurgence of the Orichalcos here at this tourney, have I realized the man behind it all.

"Midas.

"I believe that he is under the full sway of the Orichalcos for a very long time, many hundreds of years in fact, and the Orichalcos is urging him to use magic to resurface Atlantis from its very ruins and control the Heartstone once more. He must not get there."

"So, that would explain why Midas had the Orichalcos stones then," Yugi mused.

"And why both of his eyes are green," Mai said. "They were the very same color yours were."

"So he _is _under the complete control of it then," Dartz said to himself. "This is much more dangerous then I fear. In my case, I still had a shred of humanity. I may have committed horrendous deeds, but deep down, I thought I was doing the right thing. Midas, Midas has no need for emotions such as those."

"Then how are we supposed to beat this "Heartstone"?" Joey asked. "And why did you point to Yuge' Kaiba and I?"

"Do you not remember Joseph? How you were able to wield the Claw of Hermos? Do you know why you were able to use it, just as Kaiba could use Critias and Yugi Timeaus?

"It's quite simple really: you three are the spiritual descendents of them and therefore, the only ones able to wield the blades of Renewal, Justice and Wisdom. _Those_ are the only things that can destroy the Heartstone, and Midas was making sure that you would be unable to do so."

"By arranging this tourney," Yugi realized. "He was using the Orichalcos stones to try and eliminate us from the tournament."

"Which was why he got to have Joey square off against Valon in the quarterfinals," Rebecca added. In response, Joey massaged his shoulder, still in pain, but no longer in the sling, much to the protests of Serenity and the doctors.

"But that didn't work when Joey won."

"And when we took the stones out of the disks," Tristan added.

"I wonder though," Ishizu interrupted. "And pardon for my interruption, but how exactly can these blades destroy this "Heartstone"? Were they specifically forged to do such a thing, or was it a happy accident?"

"Well," Dartz began. "In order to truly explain the powers of the Heartstone and the blades, you must know their origins. Their tale is one much more in depth than I can merely describe." he got up from his seat. "I will use a spell, creating a "scrying pool", to put it in simplest terms, and show you the downfall of Atlantis itself, and the tragic tale of the blades and the Heartstone. But to correctly use the spell, I require your assistance."

"How so?" Yugi asked.

"Simple. I need all of you to stand in a circle, maintaining physical contact with each other as I complete the spell." Dartz looked about the room his eyes going to a corner in the ceiling. He studied it for a few moments, scrutinizing it, until breaking his gaze away. "The room is admittedly quite crowded."

"Should we go to another room then?"

Dartz shook his head. "No, I think this will serve for now. Now, if you please." He offered a single hand to Yugi, who eyed it as one would watch a poisonous serpent. Feeling the eyes of his companions, he reached out, taking it, reluctantly. It was like a series of dominoes falling in line following that. Even Kaiba, at the urging of both Ishizu and Mokuba, joined in; he made sure he was between them. He was scowling the entire time. "Thank you. I shall begin the spell." A palpable aura fell in the room, the air filled with a seething, unknown energy. Yugi felt his hair stand on end as Dartz began to chant in a language that the young man could not even begin to understand. It had the intonations and grammatical structure of Latin, but there was a Grecian and ancient Egyptian flair to it in some of the vocabulary. At points, he swore he even heard Sumerian. This must have been the ancient language of Atlantis, frequently seen as the "birth" of civilizations. It would explain the many languages contained within.

While Dartz did not tell them to keep their eyes shut, he did so anyway, but curiosity was eating at him, so he slowly opened his eyes. Before him, contained by the ring of flesh, was a rippling pool, like water. He could not see any perceptible depth to it, but to look underneath would have been to break the spell. Dartz continued chanting, his voice rising and falling like the tides themselves. At last, the man spoke, but it was deeper, more resonant. It seemed to reverberate through his chest and the man's eyes glowed like miniature suns, plucked from the very heavens themselves.

"Look now, at the pool and see the true tale of the downfall of Atlantis and the forging of the blades. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"_This is madness, madness I say! This edict of his has gone too far!" the man shouted and ranted, hands running through his hair. He was the second tallest of the three, with shaggy chestnut colored hair that seemed to always be in his eyesight. His eyes were the color of cat eyes, that golden coppery tone. He wore a gray tunic with deep red embellishments and deeper colored pants. A leather belt kept it together. They were in a small chamber, away from the bulk of the royal palace, where many of the soldiers would visit, whether to socialize before going home, or to be alone with their thoughts. Saties and pillows lined the floors and walls, with long and slender windows towards the high reaching ceilings, allowing for shafts of the afternoon sun to filter through. _

_ "Careful Hermos, one could accuse you of treasonous thoughts," the other man, replied. His hair was the colored of freshly harvested wheat with pale violet eyes. His clothing was a deep blue-gray, the underbellies of storm clouds. He fiddled with his sword, standard issue to those who served the royal house and family._

_ "It is a dangerous command and you know it!" Hermos sputtered. "To subject _everyone_ to this, this, petty little rock, as a test! It is insanity and a violation of what this city was founded upon!"_

_ "I'm not disagreeing with you," Critias replied. "I am merely warning you, You are not in the safety of your villa to say such things. Our duty is to the city and the Royal family, despite our disagreements with the laws."_

_ "And what would happen if you would be subjected to this?" Hermos asked. "Or worse, your wife and children?"_

_ Critias paled. "They would do no such thing."_

_ "Exactly."_

_ The third man, who had remained quiet until now, spoke. "I agree with both of you; however, it is not our place to protest or defy the law, as much as we wish to. I think we must take it up with His Majesty or his father, in hopes of changing the king's mind." He adjusted his ponytail, to keep his wild hair, deep bluish-green and gray, out of his way save for a few errant bangs in his face. His eyes were a bluish color that seemed to shift between blue-violet and deep blue. _

_ "I doubt that they will listen to us though, Timeaus, as hopeful as your words sound," Critias snorted, although not derisively. "We are but knights, not those of the royal house."_

_ "But Ironheart trusts us," Timeaus argued. "Surely he must listen."_

_ "And I have," the door of the chamber opened to find the man, aged but spry, clad in brown in their threshold. Ironheart carried his signature stave with him. "I am concerned about this as well, but we know full well why he issued this edict."_

_Timeaus nodded sadly. "Yes, poor Iona."_

_ "But he would force his own child to the test, would he?" Critias asked. "Because I will _not _have my own son and daughter go through the test."_

_ "Nor would I, in the case of my newborn son," Timeaus added._

_ "I do not know, Dartz has not told me," Ironheart shook his head. "I fear that in his quest to save his wife and his kingdom, he has fallen to the darkness himself. If only he had not found that stone!" he cursed._

_ "Yes, and if wishes were fishes, we would no longer have need of the fleet," Hermos said. "Then we must confront him, to help him see the errors of his ways!"_

_ "Not yet Hermos," Ironheart insisted. "Stay your sword hand just yet. We must wait until he is at his weakest."_

_ "I agree with Hermos," Timeaus said. "We must act now."_

_ "To do so would incur accusations of treason and the last thing I wish is for the great knights of Atlantis and their families to be captured, or worse." Critias shuddered at this._

_ "Then. . .we agree to wait," Critias agreed, speaking for all three of them._

_ Ironhart nodded. "Good. We shall meet in the morning and meet with my son and his deeds."_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._

_ He found his son in the throne room, sitting languidly in the throne, fingers drumming the chair rest as he leaned against his other. Ironhart suppressed a shudder, gazing upon his son. His eyes were no longer the leonine gold that were like his mother's but instead, they were heterochromatic, gold in one, but a pale green in the other. He no longer wore the Crown of the Sealords, the symbol of the Atlantean monarchy, upon his brow. In its place was a shard of the Orichalcos rock that fell from the sky, held in place by a very fine mithril chain. It was unnerving, to say the least. _

_ "Dartz, I wish to speak with you."_

_ "About what, father?" The free hand inched toward the hilt of his sword, propped against the throne._

_ "I have some concerns about your newest edict. I fear that it will have some long lasting and damaging effects on the citizens of Atlantis in the future."_

_ "Is the looking after my people damaging then? Is their safety and well being so dangerous and reckless then?"_

_ "No, but forcing children to undergo this test of the stone is. Would be willing to do that to the children of this land, even your own, Chris?"_

_ "If it will purge them of the darkness of their heart, then I'm afraid that I will, as much as it pains me. It is the only way to save our land."_

_ "Dartz, I fear that the power of the Orichalcos has altered the way you think and act. Ever since it fell from the sky, you have changed, and not for the better."_

_ "I have changed because I have seen the darkness that lurks in people's hearts, like loathsome beasts lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. I would know. . ." he trailed off, eyes distant._

_ "You could not help the death of Iona, but since then. . .Dartz, you must listen to reason."_

_ "I am listening to reason!" Dartz cried out, standing up, hands clenching the sides of the throne. His face was a mingle of unbearable pain and anger. "I have been listening to reason all along! Not the fearful chitterings of you, of the nobles of anybody! You are all blind!"_

_ "No! You are the one who's blind! You're blind to the evils of the stone, which has fed you poisonous lies!"_

_ Dartz remained silent, his mood drastically shifting. He sat back down on the throne, quiet. After a few minutes, he spoke once again. "They're conspiring against me, aren't they?"_

_ "Who would that be, my son?"_

_ "The so-called "Great Knights", Timeaus, Critias, and Hermos. They put you up to this, didn't they? I can hear their fearful talkings through the walls. I have eyes and ears everywhere, father."_

_ "I can assure you that they are _not_ conspiring against you-" His words were cut off by the slither as Dartz's sword left its scabbard. Dartz pointed it at the elder, the point trembling slightly. The torch lights of the room bounced and flickered on the blade, giving the appearance of being on fire. Ironhart watched carefully, his breath caught in his throat, waiting for his very own son to strike him down._

_ "Do not fool me, I _know_ they are and I _will_ punish them for their insolence."_

_ "Yes, I understand," Ironhart nodded and made his leave, his staff thudding on the stone floor with each step. _

_ He had plans to make that very same evening. _

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_ His villa was located on the water front, a prize that would make the most powerful lords envy for the view. It was open and cool, the ocean breeze rolling off the shore, cooling the home. He entered through the main gate, built into the walls that surrounded the home on three sides, the fourth, open space facing the sea. It was nearing dusk when he finally made it home, the sunset in its final stages and the first stars appearing overhead. When he reached the main part of the complex, Critias was immediately swarmed by his two children, twins, a boy and a girl, six in age. They were fraternal twins, with the son taking after his father in features and the girl after her mother, with long platinum hair that went to her knees and eyes the color of open sky._

_ "Father, you're home!" they squealed in excitement. Clearly, they had been waiting for him._

_ "Did you catch any bad people today?" his daughter asked hurriedly._

_ "No silly, he was getting monsters! Big scary ones!" her twin brother insisted. "Right father?" he asked him with solemn eyes._

_ Critias chuckled and scooped both of them up. "Indeed I was. I was making sure that the monsters and bad people would _never, ever _ get to you."_

_ "Really father?"_

_ "Really. Now, where is your mother?"_

_ "Right here, Critias." his wife was as beautiful as the day he met her, while out on patrol in the marketplace. Her hair, an even paler shade of platinum than her daughter, was bound back in a single braid that went clear down her back. She smiled widely at the sight of her love, her blue eyes twinkling. She wore a simple green dress and her feet were bare. _

_ He gently deposited the twins before greeting with her with a long embrace and kiss. His children pulled faces at this._

_ "Father's kissing mother. Ytch!" his son said._

_ "Then go inside and play while your mother and I talk out here. Or we'll kiss even more until you go inside."_

_ "Eeww!" they both replied, sticking out their tongues, but nevertheless, they charged back inside, waving their wooden swords, gifts from "uncle Hermos"._

_ "How are you doing Karis?" Critias asked her, placing a hand to her belly, slightly swollen._

_ "Better. I was not so ill this morning like I have been."_

_ "Pregnancy seems to agree with you then."_

_ "So you say. Miana is ecstatic though. She is saying how our children will grow up together."_

_ "Mmm..." Critias held her, inhaling the scent of her hair._

_ "Something is bothering you Critias._

_ "Nothing is bothering me. I'm fine."_

_ "I do not believe that for a second. It is the palace, isn't it?" At Critias silence, she continued. "It is Dartz, isn't it? My friend in there says that he has been growing more and more erratic since he found that accursed stone, the Orichalcos."_

_ "I wish I could lie to you, but I cannot Karis. Hermos thinks we should confront him and Timeaus agrees."_

_ "And you do not?"_

_ "Not at the safety of my family nor you." He stroked her abdomen for emphasis._

_ "But surely you do?"_

_ Critias nodded. "Only when your safety is secured." He began to escort her back inside the villa. "But let's not worry the twins for now. I'm sure Ironhart will take care of this and we will no longer have to worry."_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_ He gazed out the window of his home, onto the town square, heart aching for his wife. She was in the countryside of her family's home, recovering from what had a very arduous and painful labor two fortnights ago, giving birth to their son. Azan was a strong and flexible woman, a dancer by trade, her family a performing troupe, but the labor had taken much out of her. She needed to relax and recover away from the noise and chaos of the city._

_ Timeaus thumbed a lock of hair she had given him during their courtship, a brownish auburn, reminding him of the freshly tilled earth that would be churned up when the miners would go seeking the mountain copper, the _orichalcum_. While Critias had a sea-side villa-a gift from Karis' father-and Hermos had built his home with his own hands, Timeaus had chosen this modest, yet perfect home. It faced the town square, where many performers would do their routines, including Azan's own family. Sometimes, during their days before her pregnancy, she would even join the dancers and performers, no matter if she knew them or not. She had earned the nickname "Shadow Dancer" because of her ability to seemingly materialize out of nowhere and join them in their revelry. Once she had tried to get Timeaus to join in but he was about as clumsy as a three legged horse, he told her in between laughs._

_ He missed her so much, despite her absence for only a few fortnights. She was strong and brave and elegant, so much more than he, despite his knighthood and deeds. He was eagerly awaiting her arrival back into the city, probably trailed by all the dancers she knew, their son in their arms. He cast a longing gaze back to the bed they shared together. It seemed so cold now._

_ There was a knock at the wooden door on the lower level, shaking Timeaus from his thoughts. He went down the stone steps, into the main room, which was more of an atrium than an actual room. One hand went to the sword hilt next to the frame and he opened it._

_ "Hello Timeaus."_

_ "Ironhart, what are you doing here?"_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-_

_ He inhaled a deep breath of sea air, eager to get home. While his home was not directly at the water's edge as Critias' was, Critias could not say that he built his home with his own hands. Granted, Hermos had help, as he could not do it all himself. He practically danced across the threshold of the villa, beyond the white washed walls that kept those of a less savory kind out._

_ If any did manage to make it, they would have to deal with both himself and Miana, who was a skilled woman with a bow. Gods help those who crossed her._

_ When he entered the main building, a large atrium with room branching off of it like the spokes of a wheel, he caught his wife, nodding off at the loom she was working at, a design beginning to be woven in. Her bow, often called the "Goddess Bow", was at her side, the white wood lovingly polished and capped with gold accoutrements. He crept up behind her, kissing and hugging her._

_ "Good evening," he murmured in her hair, cascading waves of dark blond._

_ "I knew you were coming. You're as loud as ever," she teased._

_ "Amusing," he said to her, kneeling by her side. He ran his fingers across the strands of the loom as if they were a lyre. "I see that you made some progress today."_

_ "Yes, with Azan resting in the countryside and Karis handling twins, I managed to get some work done. I was thinking it could be used for their bedroom," she looked down, her eyes, the color of ripened plums, gazing lovingly down at her unborn child_

_ "I still think it is a boy," Hermos insisted, bringing up an ongoing-but playful—argument between then, concerning the child's gender._

_ "It does not feel like a boy, I think it is a girl."_

_ "I would disagree with you, but I see you have your bow close by."_

_ "Yes, some of the servants were concerned about my safety, with so many beasts roaming the streets," she shuddered. "I would hate to think how Timeaus and Azan live there, almost always in fear." _

_ "Yes, but the gods help those who decide to cross our threshold." He gestured to the bow and quiver filled with white fletched arrows. _

_ "I would not pity them," Miana said fiercely. "Monsters are monsters, no matter what they were.. .Hermos, what is the matter?"_

_ "I'm thinking about earlier. Dartz is passing a new edict that _everyone_ is to be subjected to a test of the Orichalcos, to supposedly "purge" the darkness from their hearts. It is madness I say. I would never let you anywhere near that accursed rock."_

_ "Nor I, you. What do you plan to do?"_

_ "We're going to talk with him, help him see the error of his ways. He thinks it is for the betterment of the city, but he cannot see beyond the end of his own nose. He has no idea what his edicts are doing to the people."_

_ Just then, a servant, a gift from her father, a wealthy merchant, came charging in, panic clearly etched on his face. "Many pardons Lord Hermos, Lady Miana, but we spied some soldiers on the horizon, heading this way."_

_ Hermos' heart sank, Critias' words were never so right at that moment. He drew his sword, the moment between them gone. "Then we shall greet them. Teikos, take all of the household and lead them to the back room. Take some of those spears with you and keep the door locked until my say so. Miana, you go with him."_

_ She stood up angrily, bow and quiver in her hands. "I will not leave you to face whatever forces at our door! You cannot expect to fight them alone!"_

_ "I once faced a pit of monstrous asps once my love, I can handle a handful of soldiers."_

_ "Then I'm coming with you."_

_ "You're heavy with child!"_

_ "I'm not going to let you face them alone. I cannot live without you, should you pass on by spear or blade." _

_ "And I could never live without you, should I let them hurt you. Please Miana."_

_ "I can't Hermos, Knight of my Heart."_

_ He sighed. Miana was known to be stubborn; in fact, when they first began their courtship, Critias and Timeaus had teased that they had no need for helms at all, the two were so hard-headed. "I cannot argue with that, but stay_ behind_ me."_

_ Miana nodded. "As always. Back to back." She shouldered her quiver, already placing an arrow on the bowstring. Her dress, a pleated, sky-blue affair, was then hitched up using her belt, to allow for greater movement._

_ Hermos went to the door of their residence, sword in one hand. He kept the point down, gesturing for Miana to do likewise with the arrow tip. He opened the door slowly, to find both Critias and Timeaus there, clad in their armor. Ironhart was behind them, holding Chris's, Dartz's daughter, hand. There was a contingent of royal soldiers with them, clad head to foot in blue enameled armor. _

_ "Expecting a war party, Hermos?" Critias asked, eying Hermos' blade and Miana's bow._

_ "One of the workers said that there were soldiers coming, naturally I was expecting Dartz's own men. Thankfully I was wrong."_

_ "You need to leave Hermos," Ironhart urged. "Pack up your household and meet us at the docks. "Dartz found out."_

_ "No," Hermos whispered. "But. . .but how?"_

_ "He must have used the magic of the Orichalcos," Azan explained, holding Timeaus' son at her chest, tightly swaddled with purple and silver blankets. She was still pale and thin from the labor, but otherwise, she was hale. "That's how."_

_ Miana paled. "What about the rest of our families, like Karis' and mine. Surely Dartz will go after them next if we leave."_

_ "I have already made plans for their evacuation as well," Ironhart reassured her. "Now go and get ready! We will meet you later! In the meantime, I will leave some of my men here, to watch for any of my son's." One of them, a cheeky fellow with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, saluted Hermos jokingly. _

_ "At your service, oh mighty Hermos!"_

_ In spite of the severity of the situation at hand, Hermos could not help but laugh at his childhood friend, Varos. "Just keep away from my wife, alright?" he joked right back, making a reference to an old joke between the two men, before shutting the door on them._

_ He turned to Miana, crestfallen. "If I had known. . ."_

_ "How could you know the inner workings of a madman?" she chided. "You are not one of the Seers, nor can you practice the mystical arts, so do not blame yourself for something you could not predict."_

_ He nodded, going to the back to inform the servants. As he did, Miana added,_

_ "The downfall of Atlantis has begun."_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._

_ It had been two years since the downfall of the city, when it sunk to the depths of the ocean as a result of the numerous magical energies backlashing and destroyed the very foundations of the city itself. Ionhart had settled his forces, as few as they were, in another realm known as the "Dominion of the Beasts", where the spirit monsters dwelt. He knew many personally and because of this, was granted a safe haven from Dartz's roving eyes._

_ He wiped away some of the sweat on his brow as he continued to hammer away at the searing hot metal of the half-forged blade, beating it into shape, the metal glowing a reddish orange. The forge was scorching, forcing the elder to work in a pair of pants and leather apron. The hammer rang across the metal, allowing a bell tone to ring through the forge in a steady tempo. The metal was exceedingly rare and powerful, its innate inner properties allowing for it to "unravel" magic. He had discovered this by accident during his travels as a young prince and managed to procure a goodly sized block of the shimmering silvery metal in a trade. He kept it secret since then, squirreling it away until the time was right._

_ Like now._

_ The Knights of Atlantis, Timeaus, Critias and Hermos, need proper blades to wage their war against Dartz. They were the key to his downfall. If they could somehow destroy the Orichalcos itself, then they could save the Lost King as he was titled, from the darkness tightening around his heart._

_ This metal, to be forged into swords, could unravel the magic at the heart of the Orichalcos destroying it. Ironhart had done this before with a dagger forged of the material. He knew how the metal worked and he would apply this knowledge to the greatest gifts these knights would receive._

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._

_ "By the powers of all the gods and our lost home of Atlantis, I give unto you, Timeaus, Critias and Hermos, the swords that will save us all." Ironhart began, Chris at his side, holding the two other swords. Ironhart may not have a palace to knight these men in, but the grove of trees on either side of them and the numerous dragons hovering around, it was a far more beautiful one._

_ "Timeaus, please step forward," Clad in his signature teal blue armor and royal blue cloak, he came forward, kneeling at Ironhart's feet. "There is no need for that, my friend." At this, Timeaus, stunned by this, stood up. "I give unto you, the Sword of Justice. Your deeds and sense of fairness has persuaded many a soldier to join the true cause: the salvation of mankind." He passed the sword onto Timeaus, who took it gratefully._

_ "Thank you, Ironhart."_

_ "No Timeaus, thank you."_

_ Critias stepped forward next, receiving the Sword of Wisdom, for his knowledge that turned the tide of many battles. Hermos was last, earning the Sword of Renewal. He had a knack for the healing arts and his blade reflected this._

_ "Now go!" Ironhart commanded them. "And defeat the darkness!"_

_.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- _

_ The morning was foggy, the mist penetrating the forest that surrounded them. Not even the sun could pierce the foggy depths. Moisture beaded on their armor and leather. Despite the chill, the soldiers were sweltering under the layers of chainmail, plate armor and their leather jerkins. Timeaus could hear the shuffle and whinnying of the cavalry behind him. The banners of the former city state of Atlantis fluttered weakly in the breeze. According to Ironhart's sources—not that Timeaus truly knew who they were—Dartz was expected to storm the field with his entire army, not just the smaller contingents of monsters created by the Orichalcos that Dartz had been sending their way. Ironhart was expecting this and decided that he would flank Dartz forces using cavalry, led by Timeaus, Critias and Hermos._

_ Timeaus shuffled uneasily. The air felt different today, something in it that set him on edge. He hugged himself, his hand accidentally brushing against the necklace Azan had made for him. It was a locket, containing a lock of her hair, kept between two pieces of clear rock crystal, a then mounted on a thin golden chain. An exquisite gift and deeply personal._

_ According to Ironhart's battle plans, the main force would make an attempt to pierce through the main bulk of Dartz's forces, splitting them down the middle keeping them from each other and allowing for Ironhart's forces to fight back to back, as a river would cut through a hillside. Then, led by the three Knights, Ironhart would send a sign for them to charge, to blast through the right hand side of the army, where they would rejoin the main force and then they would swarm the past remaining pockets of the enemy, effectively wiping out Dartz's army._

_ "Anything yet?" Critias asked, trotting up on a piebald mare, clad in royal blue barding. The Sword of Wisdom was at his side. He was the only one of the three to actually ride a horse, being classically trained as a young man in the riding arts. His horse bore bit nor bridle. Upon the man's head was a gilded white and blue helmet, clashing with the colors of his armor, but he did not care. It had been a gift from Karis and her family, after one of Dartz's soldiers batted his other one off, making his ears ring for days._

_ "No, nothing yet." Timeaus eyed the mare, who looked displeased at the man on the ground. "I do not think she likes me very much."_

_ "I don't think she likes anybody, to be honest. After my other destier was cut down at the Battle of Pelanas, I had to make due with her, who had lost her rider."_

_ "And that is why I don't ride horses," Hermos called down from the treetops, where he had been perched. Across his back was a white and golden bow, Miana's bow in fact. She had wanted to fight alongside them, since she could indeed ride and shoot, but Hermos refused to let her join the battle. Ironhart had to intercede in their argument, siding with Hermos. Tearfully, she relented, but not before giving him her bow and a kiss that the soldiers hooted and teased him about that entire morning._

_ Hermos skillfully leapt down, joining his compatriots, the Sword of Renewal at his side. In the distance, the sounds of armies clashing could be heard, like the clanging of thousands of bells all at once. Then, he heard the piercing bellow of a horn, sharp and clear. It faded, but not before they heard two more blats of the horn. That was their signal._

_ Many of the cavalry yelled at this, eager to take the field. Some were shouting cries of "Atlantis!" and "For Ironhart!" _

_ Critias snorted at this. "Listen to them, they fight for something that no longer exists, just a city of stones sunk under the waters."_

_ "They fight for the idea!" Hermos argued. "The idea of Atlantis, for peace and equality and freedom for all. . ."_

_ "An idea that can be found anywhere, if you care to look."_

_ Timeaus interceded. "I'm afraid that Critias, as pessimistic as this is, might be right. The idea is there, but why fight for something tangible and it is no longer there?"_

_ Hermos, who had since drawn his blade, allowed the point to rest in the forest loam. "Then what do we fight for then? A mere idea or principle then? That seems very. . .invisible to me."_

_ "Then what do you propose then?" Critias asked._

_ After a moment of silence, Timeaus spoke, one hand going to the locket. "I will fight for the queen of my heart, Azan, and my son."_

_ Critias smiled fondly. "Then I too, shall fight for my wife and my children."_

_ "And I as well. She may not be able to fight at my side like we used to, but she will always be here." Hermos patted the gilded quiver, filled with the white arrows._

_ There was the fourth and final horn blast, even more piercing than before. The three men drew their blades and raised them up, their points crossing each other._

_ "Until the very end?" Timeaus asked._

_ "Must you need an answer?" Hermos said with a cheeky grin._

_ "For once, I agree with Hermos. Until the very end," Critias added._

_ Timeaus charged through the loam, sword at his side like a blazing beacon. Hermos let out a wild yell and followed straight away, followed by Critias on his charger. _

_ And thus, they went to battle, the names of their loved ones on their lips, as they swarmed the field. . . ._

The visions faded as quickly as Dartz had summoned them, leaving all of them in varying shades of shock. Yugi wanted to smile at Joey and Mai's reactions; when the final vision faded, they jerked their hands away from each other, unable to face each other in the eye. Kaiba looked to be on the verge of an identity crisis, as he and Tea still kept their grip on each other.

"What happened, at that battle?" Ryou asked, breaking the silence.

"Well," Dartz began. "That was their final battle as humans. I had used a spell to kill them and take away their weapons, but Ironhart, seeing this, used my own spell against me and manipulated so that they were not killed but instead morphed into dragons. The Atlantean for "death" and "dragon" are the one and the same, with slightly different pronunciations. When the battle was over, I tried to find the swords on the battlefield, but Ironhart got to me first, taking their armor and weapons away. He fled back to the Dominion of the Beasts, to recuperate and prepare for the next battle, while breaking the news of the Knight's irreversible change."

"That must have been horrible, for their wives and kids to learn of this," Serenity gasped, heart breaking. She cast a glance over at Joey and the others, their similarities with those in the tale striking so much so that they could be siblings or close relatives. "That's so sad."

"And the blades?" Mokuba asked.

"When the Dragons were sealed in crystal, Ironhart held onto them, to pass them onto their children and their children after that, to pass the legacy on. When the battles died down, many _many_ generations later, Ironhart sent the descendents back down to earth, in hopes of hiding them from me. His mistake was that he placed all three descendents in the same place: Egypt, or Khemet. He had hoped that when they were old enough, or when their children were old enough, he could pass the blades on.

"Then, Atem, the descendent of Timeaus, died and Seth, the descendent of Critias assumed the throne amidst chaos—not of my own making, I promise—Ironhart realized that it was two dangerous to have all three in the same place. So, the sons and daughters of Seth were left in Egypt, but the children of Jono, the descendent of Hermos, were sent halfway around the earth, where you would call "Wales". Ironhart sent the blades with said descendents.

"So, the sons of Seth—those that did not become Tombkeepers, if I recall my history—went north and the last known heir was a man called Odysseus, whose wisdom and heroic nature was known all through the Mediterranean. The sword was lost in the aftermath of the battle of Troy. As for Hermos, his last known descendent was a man known as "Arthur", a fearsome warrior who used the mystical powers of the Sword of Renewal for fight against the darkness."

". . .Wait," Yugi pondered, realizing the implication of the words. "Odysseus and King Arthur were real?"

"Legends have to start somewhere," Dartz said with a wink.

"And Atem's sword, "The Sword of Justice"?"

"It was presumably buried with him at his tomb, but since we do not know where his tomb is, then the sword is lost as well, at least for now."

"Let me get this straight," Joey began. "So, then all we have to do is find the swords before Midas does? And then prevent him from getting this Heartstone?"

"Exactly," Dartz nodded.

"But here is my question," Mai interjected. "If rising the "Heartstone" was all you need to take over, then why did you not do that, instead of what you did do?"

"Because, to rise Atlantis from its watery grave is a task that entails great risk. I was only able to replicate the lost city, not to revive it. To do so would more than likely alter much of the local landscape. I went with a route that was, more or less, guaranteed, but it took much more time." Dartz coughed once. "I wish I could do more, but my research into the subject, in the aftermath of the Knights' downfall as not as thoroughly studied as it should have been. I can only guide you in a general direction. The Sword of Wisdom should be located in and around the ruins of what is Troy, as according to the stories, Odysseus buried the blade with one of his companions who passed away at the siege of Troy, Achilles, I believe. The Sword of Renewal, should be in Wales, where the tale of King Arthur is located, mostly. Logic would say that it would be at the bottom of a lake, based on the story of the "Lady of the Lake".

"And now, it is time for me to take my leave, lest Midas finds a way to track my exact location and makes the connection to you. The last thing I wish is for you to be put into danger because of my visitation. I have already done much damage, too much damage."

""Exact location"?" Yugi asked.

"As a rule, magic can locate magic; however," he pulled something from under his shirt, revealing an amulet, carved of red cinnabar wood in the vision of an Eastern, serpentine dragon. "A gift from a Tibetan monk. It can nullify the location spells of magic and basically hide myself from Midas." Dartz gave one final bow.

"I bid you all good night." He smartly exited the hotel suite, tucking the charm back under his shirt as he turned, his cloak billowing behind him.

They sat there in silence, each of them processing the more recent events, lost in their own thoughts, ignoring each other.

"Hey guys?" Joey began. "You know what I said earlier, about this getting freakier?

"I take that all back. This is _beyond_ freaky."

**That chapter was a whooper, to say the least. Imagine if it had been tacked on the previous chapter :/. You guys would have been reading for quite sometime haha. 20+pages on my word document program.**

** And now for some loooong overdue headcanon about this chapter. It was one of the very first scenes in my head and one of the ones I've been looking forward the most. In fact, this was one of the reasons this story came into being. I wanted to do a bit of a prequel story based off of this scene, developing the characters and plot, but when the one-shot collection was born, that was shoved into there (plus I can do much more with it. Timeaus/Azan, Critias/Karis, and Hermos/Miana FTW) **

** The Knights were guards of the royal household, often going on peace missions and protectors for the kings. They would often be at the side of the king on the battlefield or the court. A thing to note is that the Atlanteans had longer lifespans than most, partly because of their lifestyle, some genetics, and of the knowledge they gained over the years. The average lifespan of an Atlantean is around 200 years. The best comparison is to the **_**Dunedain**_** of Lord of the Rings, ie, the race of Aragorn.**

** Critias is the most connected, his parents wealthy administrators for the city and is the oldest of the trio. He's quite pragmatic and logical but a devoted family man, having children first. His wife Karis is the "mama bear" of their family. She is kind and loyal, but fierce and stubborn. She's not the fighter that Miana is, but she will defend her family if needed. She is classically trained in the arts of swordplay. Her hair is more silvery than white, with the occasional strand of white gold. In the sunlight it looks like woven electrum. Her eyes are an icy blue and she's quite short and delicate. She is Miana's cousin through their father's side.**

** Timeaus is the leader of their group. He acts as a balance to Critias's logic and Hermos emotion. He is the middle child so to speak. He was raised by a single father, after his mother died. When he was around six or seven, he saw a bully picking on another kid. So, he decided to to something about it. A bloody nose and some missing teeth later, he was discovered by a knight of Atlantis and recruited for training (it did not occur until for some time later, but it was the principle of it). Azan, who is his wife, is a dancer and part of a performing troupe. Her hair is much more red than Tea's/Anzu's and longer as well, usually kept in a braid. Her eyes have hints of green and gold in them. She much more stubborn and fiery tempered than the contemporary counterpart and a bit impulsive in her actions and thoughts. **

** Hermos is the youngest of the three. He's much more emotional than the others and sometimes noble/courageous to a fault, since he doesn't know when to quit. He barely knew his parents and lived most of his life on the streets as an orphan. A brawler, he was picked by a knight for training and met Timeaus and Critias in the process. He's very familiar with many of the merchants in the city, which was how he met Miana, the daughter of a merchant. They were actually childhood friends, by the way. Miana is a "softer" personality than Mai, more prone to caving in when needed and less temperamental than Mai as well. She has a bit of a mothering side to her, which can drive Hermos insane sometimes, but woe be unto the person who dare mess with her while she has her bow, the Goddess Bow (named by Hermos :D) Her features are more tan and her hair is a darker shade of blonde. Her eyes are still the same.**

** I'd love to give more information, but this is already a bit of a chapter overload haha. I will say that there are two Easter eggs in this chapter. See if you can find them. **

** At the moment, the pairings do have names. Timeaus/Azan is Auburnshipping, Critias/Karis is Villashipping and Hermos/Miana is Bowshipping, unless you guys can come up with something better. **

** As for the Odysseus and King Arthur connections, I actually do have some evidence for it. But you get to see that later :D**


	40. Chapter 40: To Light the Dark

Chapter: To Light the Dark

**Whee, well lookie that. . .an update. . .**

** Now, please pardon me while Borderlands 2 sucks my soul away. Deathtrap, I love you lololol.**

They huddled around the hospital bed, silent, like viewing a casket at a funeral. Odion was not dead by any measure, he was still breathing and his heart was beating as well as some brain activity, but for all intents and purposes he might as well be, in Marik's opinion. Using Aaron's jeep, they brought both Tshilaba—although Aaron was reluctant to—and Odion to the local hospital, where they were quickly ushered into the ICU. After a battery of tests though, the doctors were absolutely baffled as to the cause of their supposed comas. Aaron, Marik and Sivya knew what had happened, but how does one explain the soul stealing powers of an ancient, clearly sentient power contained in a tiny stone?

The most obvious answer: They can't.

Marik was clearly the most heartbroken of the three, blaming himself for Odion's choice. If he had never plucked the rock out from the box in the first place, then maybe they would not be in the situation they were in. Maybe if he had gotten rid of it sooner when he could. . .

Too many maybes for one person, he decided, sitting in the room's only chair. Tshilaba was in another room, nobody holding a quiet vigil over her comatose body. Shortly after they had delivered Tshilaba to the hospital, Aaron had fished out a hotel card and false ID on her person. Using some investigative work, he had tracked down the hotel where she had stayed. He then fed the man at the front desk a string of lies—all in fluent Turkish—that Tshilaba was a friend of his and she ended up in a car wreck which caused her to slip into a coma and he was wondering if he could retrieve her belongings from her room. The clerk, moved by Aaron's account, allowed Aaron access to the room, where he went through her belongings, seeking the box and scrolls Marik had described for him. He had uncovered the scrolls, kept in an ornate box, each scroll cushioned by velvet, but the box with the stones was nowhere to be found. They presumed that she had shipped off the box to her employer, Midas, now halfway across the country of Turkey, the city of Çanakkale. The city seemed to trigger something in Marik but he could not place why. The only way of finding out would be to go there.

But then there was the issue of Odion and the others. He couldn't let them go with him. He had already placed them in enough danger—he could never forgive himself to placing Sivya in the path of danger—and he had no desire to do so again.

So, he'd have to do this on his own. It would be best for everybody.

At least that was what he kept telling himself. Every time he did though, he felt hollow and empty inside, false promises and thoughts.

Marik took a quick glance around the room. There were no doctors, just him, Aaron and Sivya. Aaron was the silent sentinel, arms crossed, his face the epitome of stoicism, completely emotionless. His brown eyes told a different story, a maelstrom of emotions: sadness, anger, guilt, bitterness and on and on, tangling with each other into one could no longer pick the single strands out. Marik wondered if any of them were directed at him. Marik, after all, had no one to blame but himself. Tshilaba didn't force him to take the stone from the box, he chose to. But, he pondered, how could he had known of the evil lying within its sea green depths? He should have tossed it the first night, when it woke up clenching the stone close to his chest, as a child would clutch a security blanket.

If Aaron was the prime example of stoicism then poor Sivya was at the opposite end of the spectrum. She already had to deal with the trauma of being kidnapped by his ex-girlfriend's henchmen and then she had to watch him and Odion in the last few moments of the duel, when his darker side was well in control. She had obviously been crying, her eyes puffy and red, nose occasionally sniffling, piercing the silence. She was fidgeting with the hem of one of her sleeves, eyes fixated on Odion. She was striving to be strong, for all of their sakes, but it was a difficult fight. A part of Marik wanted to comfort her, but he knew that she would recoil from his presence, not that he could blame her. She had gazed into the wild insane eyes of a monster.

The monster that was he.

At last, he grew too restless, his emotions well up to the surface, until he could no longer contain them. He stood up from his seat suddenly, the chair scraping harshly on the linoleum floor. He made his way past Sivya and Aaron, briskly walking down the right hall, face downturn shielding his face from the world.

Sivya spun about to watch him leave, wondering if she should go after him, to comfort him at the very least. She was torn though, looking back at Odion; should she let Marik have his peace and time alone? Or go to him, to comfort him in his darkest hour? Aaron suddenly reached out, grabbing the girl by both shoulders—not too roughly— startling her, and spun her about, until they were face to face. "Go to him," he told her firmly, making up Sivya's mind for her. "He needs you, more than ever. You are the light to his darkness even if you may not realize it. Go to him, and light up the dark."

She said nothing, nodding in response. Aaron relaxed his grip and she exited as well, following the path Marik took. It was only Aaron now, in the room with the comatose Odion. He sighed gustily and seated himself in the, resting his chin on his hands, contemplative. Marik had told them in the vehicle, as the raced through the marrow streets for the local hospital, that Tshilaba's employer was a man named Midas, the very same one who had sent the mask and duel disk, arranging the tournament. It was unknown why Midas had done such a thing; naturally, it was all a part of a much larger plan, but it reminded Aaron of a chessboard with a veil down the middle. He knew some of Midas's moves, but not all of them, at least, not until it was checkmate.

Marik was going to Çanakkale, in hopes of confronting Midas there to get back the other items Midas had stolen from his family—not that Marik actually _wanted_ them back now, knowing full well what it was capable of—but it was the principle of the matter. It was a natural assumption that Sivya would be going with Marik was well; as much as the young man would protest, for some noble reason or another, he couldn't say no to her,_ wouldn't _say no to her. It was painfully obvious to the man that they were "destined" (as cheesy as it seemed) for each other. They balanced each other out. She smoothed out his rougher edges, evidenced by his tender gestures to her, and he brought out a more outgoing side to her. Even if he left without her, she would have found a way to follow him, even if it took a little nudging by yours truly.

Which then left him in the equation. What was he to do? Ishizu had asked him to protect and escort Marik through the desert, seeking out Tshilaba. What Ishizu probably didn't count on were freaky soul sucking rocks—in his own words-, Marik going absolutely off the deep end, if only for a short while, and Odion ending up in a magically induced coma.

And so, Aaron Levi, retired Mossad agent and Israeli National Champion, was torn in two.

He couldn't leave Marik and Sivya to brave the wilderness by themselves; who knows what would happen, even though Sivya was skilled living out in the wilderness. But he couldn't leave Odion by himself in the hospital in a foreign country, so very far from home.

He slid the chair closer to the bed, sighing to himself. "Oh Odion, what do I do?" he asked the comatose man. He knew Odion wouldn't be able to hear him, but it still offered a modicum of comfort, anyway. "I mean, I can't leave you here, in this place, by yourself. But you and I both know that we can't leave Marik and Sivya—you and I both know she'd walk side by side with him to hell and back, pardon my french—by themselves in that wilderness, heading to Çanakkale. Who knows what would happen to them? Especially Marik," Aaron added quietly, knowing full well the man was distraught and guilt stricken over what he had done, even if he wasn't in complete control.

Just then, he felt something buzz in his pocket and he reflexively reached for it, pulling the cell out of his pocket. He flipped it open, only to reveal that there was nothing. He had been imagining the vibration, or it was a muscle spasm.

He peered at the phone, an idea suddenly striking him. He knew plenty of people far and wide throughout the region, it came with the job, so maybe he could contact someone, to assist in his conundrum. While not all of the contacts were necessarily trust-worthy, especially for this situation, but he knew of some he could trust with his life.

And with Odion's.

There was one contact, a woman serving in the Turkish security forces, no longer in the services, but Aaron had worked with her a time or two, knowing full well what she was capable of. He would give her a call later, when he was no longer in the hospital. She could watch over Odion for him, while he could protect Marik and Sivya. It wasn't the ideal situation, but it could work, nonetheless.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The hospital was silent, too silent, for Sivya's taste. When she had spent her days alone, there was a silence there, but it was a comforting silence, filled with gentle background noise like the wind blowing or the goats rustling through the scrub brush, seeking something to eat. This silence, the silence of the hospital, the whirring of the machines, the clicking of a keyboard, was a different sort of quiet for her. Too artificial, too clean, too unnatural for her liking. The hallways and rooms, they looked the same to her as well, as she sought out Marik, like Aaron had suggested. The numbers helped, but she knew deep down that she was going to end up lost in the labyrinthine ways of the hospital.

The hall opened up to what was a waiting lounge, filled with some tables and chairs, like the one in Odion's room. A trio of vending machines lined the back wall, with a large window in between two of them. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place, the quiet deafening for the goatherd.

Then, she heard it. Someone was there in the room, sobbing softly.

It had to be Marik.

She tip-toed to get a better view, when she found him. He was huddled up in the corner of the room, sitting on the floor in between one of the vending machines and the wall, hugging his knees tightly to his chest, his eyes, those lavender hued eyes normally filled with mirth, were vacant almost, breaking her heart to the point where it physically hurt to see him like this. He seemed to pay no attention to her presence and she crept into the waiting lounge, to end up next to him. He continued to say nothing, as if he were an empty shell, but even if he were to protest, she wouldn't budge an inch. She sat next to him, managing to fit comfortably into the space Marik had carved out for himself.

Marik finally spoke. "You don't want to be around me, Sivya."

"And why not?"

He hesitated. "I'm a monster."

"You don't look like one to me."

"It's here, on the inside," Marik jabbed at his chest. "I thought. . .I thought I had gotten rid of him, but. . .I guess not." She reached out, placing a hand on his back. He didn't push her away, which was a start, at the least. "I'm an ugly person, Sivya. I've. . .I've done a lot of bad things in my past, which is still haunting me to this day, it would seem. It's too dangerous for you. I. . .I don't want you to get hurt, like when Tshilaba.-" he trailed off, the words catching in his throat. He couldn't even say it. "I can't," he said softly, shaking his head.

If the initial impression of seeing him was painful, then this was excruciating for her. With her other hand, she placed it under his chin and cheek, turning him so that he faced her, eye to eye. A part of him wanted to lean into the touch, her hands callused from the years of work, but at the same time, comforting. "I do not see an ugly person. I see someone who has made mistakes yes, but so does everybody. I know I have and I'm sure Aaron has made some, at the very least. Some are more severe than others, some are less, but they can all be forgiven. As you said, Odion isn't gone forever, we can bring him back. He is your brother and he will forgive you, I'm positive of that. You are not ugly, nor are you a monster, you hear me? Don't think like that," she said to him in a softer tone. "None of us do."

"I. . ." he could barely begin to formulate the words to fully describe his emotions. He suddenly blinked and turned away, breaking the contact, tears threatening to come again, just when he had thought he managed to wring them all out. He bit his lower lip and the insides of his cheeks to stem the flow but it failed to work it would seem. He broke down again. "I'm so sorry Odion. . .I'm so sorry," he moaned. "I'm so sorry. . ."

Sivya sat there, unsure of what to do. In that moment, Marik was no longer the confident young man who had practically fallen into her lap, but like a child, vulnerable and alone. When she had been a child and frequently hurt herself trying to emulate her brothers' wild antics, her mother, after dressing whatever injury she had, would scoop up the young girl, rocking her back and forth while holding her in a reassuring embrace. So, she did what her mother had done for her. Sivya placed her free hand on his shoulder, guiding him close for an embrace. He placed his head on her shoulder, sobbing quietly as she stroked his hair.

"It'll be okay," she soothed him. "I promise." He relaxed in her embrace at this, at one point, one hand inching up to entwine in her own.

That sat that way for the next half-hour, in their own little world, until Marik wept his last tear, body still wracked with sobs that couldn't quite come. The silence of the hospital didn't quite bother Sivya anymore. She had other things to focus on.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It wasn't until nearly two hours that Sivya and Marik returned to the hospital room. Marik had clearly washed his face, the kohl markings that had been smeared from earlier cleansed from his face, only ghostly traces remaining. His hair was a little frazzled and he walked with a far slower gait than normal, but he seemed on his way on the path of healing, and perhaps being able to forgive himself. It was clear that there was no obvious change in Odion. His heart rate remained the same, as did his breathing patterns and brainwaves, from what Marik could decipher from the machines hooked to the poor man. He coughed, to get Aaron's attention.

"In the morning, I'll be leaving for Çanakkale. I don't know what other plans Tabitha or Midas had in store, but I don't want them to hurt either of you, so I'll be doing this alone." He hated the thought of doing this, of leaving Odion alone here, but he knew deep down, that Odion would have wanted Marik to see this through to the end. So, his decision was made.

Aaron shorted, spinning about in the chair. "Fat chance of that happening, Marik. We're coming too. I'm not leaving you by yourself in that wilderness that is the span of Turkey. And we should be coming with you for the reason you just said. Odion and Ishizu would wring my neck, and yours, should they discover you tramped through there alone."

"I can't let you leave Odion by himself here. I mean, it hurts for me to do it to him." Marik gestured to Odion.

"And I'm not. I have a very, _very _good friend who is retired from the Turkish security forces. I trust her with my life and I know that she'll help out. She has an older brother herself and she'll understand the situation."

"Really, you would do that?"

"And why not?" Aaron eyed the young man. "Somebody needs to keep you safe. I'm sticking with you until the very end kiddo."

"I. . ." He swallowed and turned to Sivya.

She smiled at him. "I'm coming too."

"I guess that settles it then," Marik said at last, touched but at the same time, concerned. After all, what if Tabitha's minions came snooping around, only to find their leader in a hospital with a coma. He added, "Thank you."

"Hey no problem. I'll call up my friend tonight and see when she can be here. Hopefully by tomorrow, I would think. Then, let's go kick some major butt and get those rocks back.

"And then promptly destroy them," he hastily added.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Much to Marik's protests, Aaron had found a nearby hotel for them to spend the night. He had also managed to contact his friend, the retired soldier and she willingly agreed to lend them a hand in watching over Odion. She would arrive in a little more than a day, he had told Marik and Sivya. With great reluctance, Aaron had decided on leaving the jeep behind, in her possession as well, claiming that with all the little "goodies" hidden inside the vehicle, it would have been a very poor idea to leave it somewhere without any supervision. He was going to rent another vehicle in the morning, before they left.

Marik paced the floor of his hotel room restlessly, like a caged lion, wringing his hands and running them through his hair. It had been an arduous day for all of them, a series of ups and downs. He looked over at the alarm clock next to the bed. It read nearly one in the morning, not that it mattered to him anyway. Even if he had crawled into bed, it wouldn't have made any difference; he would have spent the entire night starring at the ceiling, wondering what he could have done differently. He suddenly paused in his pacing, something springing to mind during the duel with Odion. In the final confrontation with his darker side and the Seal, he had reached into his pocket, only to find the Orichalcos stone, if that was its name, had disintegrated into dust, only to be blown away to the wind. Had it been another vision, like the one of his soul room, with the blue and lavender flowers, or had it been real.

There was only one way to find out.

His fingers trembled slightly as he reached into the pocket of his cargo pants, frightened of what he might find. There were no sharp edges, no painful pricks of the stone digging into his thigh. Maybe it had been real. It was like sand in his pocket. He saw the sliding door of the hotel room, the hand still in his pocket, as if the sand was to change back into its original form as soon as his hand left the pocket. He stepped out on the balcony and pulled out the first handful of Orichalcos sand from his pocket. Marik unclenched his palm allowing for the sand to be whisked away by the wind, where they floated away, like glittering grains of emerald. What a fantastic hoax they had been, Marik determined, recalling the first time he had encountered the gem stones. He did this a few more times, pulling out less and less sand until there were only a few grains left. For an add measure, he flipped the pocket inside out, watching those last few grains be taken away by the wind. Satisfied, he straightened himself up, telling the now non-existent stone, "Good riddance," a final act of closure for the young man.

Shame it took the soul of his brother in order for him to see it.

** Aaaaaannnnd, you're welcome for the daily allotment of Valleyshipping.**

** Butt-Stallion says hello.**


	41. Chapter 41: Aftermath of Destiny

Chapter 41: Aftermath of Destiny

He had sensed the presence of magic.

But it wasn't his magic.

Midas knew that there was the presence of another source , probably from another person, but he couldn't specifically place the source of it. A disturbance in the force field, the web of magic enveloping the island, years, no decades, of preparation and layers of protective spells, shielding and protecting him from the rest of the world. The second presence was like a pebble striking a still pond, sending gentle ripples through the entire pond. The frustrating part was that Midas could not place the origin of the pebble's landing, nor the identity of the proverbial pebble. All he knew was that something was "off".

Using his cane, he activated a handful of seeking and locating spells, fueled by the magic circle. While nothing was definitive about the identity, he was able to catch a "thread" of the magic, the residue of a spell of concealment. It may be possible to hide oneself from another using magic, but like a crime scene, there would always be something left behind. The so-called thread had the feel of ancient magic, very ancient magic. It reminded Midas of ancient mariners and glorious cities, the feel and taste of the ocean on his tongue. Midas had spent a very long time traveling across the Mediterranean to study, to learn, to absorb all the knowledge that he could, but in all of his travels, he had only encountered magic with that exact "feel" to it.

Dartz.

The man who had given him the gift of true power was on the island, or had been, Midas could not discern that from the magic itself. He had to investigate further.

And if magic could not do it, then technology will.

Many magicians, great or small, normally shunned technology when using their magic, not because they were inept, but because the electrical impulses generated by such devices interfere with the practice of the magic. Magic is energy after all, so it would make sense that energy from the devices interfere with the magic of the spell. Not so for Midas. He had since found a way to shield his magic workings from the technology surrounding, although as a safety measure he cocooned his most private magic, just in case.

He spun the chair around in his office, not necessarily a singular room, but a series of them, connected to each other in various ways. He managed to detect the trace of magic in one of the residential buildings and he paused, a single hand hovering over the keys. The building, that was the very same building where Yugi and his little friends resided. There was a definite connection. He made the decision to focus his attention to the cameras stationed around there, including the one inside the suite.

As he focused his attention, he realized that he could not see inside the room. It was like someone had blocked access. All Midas saw was a blurry sea of grays and whites. By hiding himself, Dartz had revealed his presence. He could hear snippets of the conversation though. He listened in on them, growing pale under the mass of ruined flesh. Dartz knew what he was planning. Dartz was seeking the Blades of the Three: The Sword of Justice, The Sword of Wisdom and The Sword of Renewal and he was directing Yugi and the gang to them. No, that could not be, Midas thought, in a temporary state of panic. He would have to change his plans. He would have to get to them first, the swords, before heading to Alexandria to retrieve the appropriate spells to resurrect the city of Atlantis. There was no specific spell for the action, but in his many years of studying in the library, before it was shut from the world, he found a way to manipulate them spells contained within to rise the city from its watery grave.

Then, the Heartstone would be his to control.

But first, he had to capture the only weapons that could destroy it.

He promptly exited the room where the security equipment was located, to another room where a secretary was at, working away at some document or another, probably keeping all his finances in check.

"I want you to have the pilots prepare one of my jets for me for tomorrow," he told the woman, a Grecian woman whose brown hair streaked with gray was kept in a bun. "I shall be leaving for Turkey in the morning."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

Tea had decided to stay behind, after everyone had departed, heading back from their rooms. Seto had stormed off, his coat flying behind him, face turned away from anybody. Mai and Joey were unable to even look each other in the eye and whenever they happened to, they would flush a bright red and quickly glance away. They were all rattled by the experience, herself including. When she had seen Azan in the "scrying pool", she could scarcely. Save for a few altered features, such as eyes and hair, they could have been mistaken for sisters or cousins. And Timeaus. . .

When Yugi had first described Timeaus to her, he had described him to be more like Atem, the Pharaoh and she saw the knight as thus, thanks in part to her own conflicted feelings at the time. But then, when she saw the knight, with no helm, cradling the infant, she didn't see Atem.

She saw Yugi.

"That. . .that was an interesting experience," Yugi admitted at last, speaking for the very first time since Dartz's abrupt leave of absence and his friend heading back to their own suites.

"I think it rattled everybody, seeing the ancient counterparts in the "scrying pool". I mean, we even saw someone who looked like Valon."

"Well, if Kaiba wasn't already dealing with a identity crisis with Set, then he is now," Yugi said.

"And Mai and Joey, they couldn't even look at each other without blushing like crazy."

He wanted to speak, thinking about the alarming similarities between he and Timeaus and Tea and Azan, Timeaus' wife, but thought against it. He wondered about what kind of effects it would have on he and Tea's relationship. He was already seeing what it was doing between Joey and Mai—although he suspected it would end as quickly as it had arrived. Would it damage it, each of them wondering if they were meant to, destined to, well. . .

They had been on the verge on kissing only a couple of hours ago, after all.

He glanced hurriedly at the clock, to see that it was growing late, later than he expected. He wasn't trying to catch Tea's eye, but she seemed to have noticed the gesture.

"Well, it's getting late, I um. . I better get going." she said, wringing her hands. "I don't want to keep the King of Games up too late."

"Tea, I. . ."

She flashed a smile at him before adding, "Good night." She then followed suit like her companions before her.

When the door shut behind her Yugi told himself, "I think we were meant to be."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

To Mokuba he was like a wraith, vanishing with only a flourish of his long coat. He had asked Mokuba for space, in order to actually begin to wrap his mind around this. What Dartz had revealed clearly shaken him, more profound than when Seto had gallivanted off to Egypt. He still refused to talk about what happened on that trip. But, as a good younger brother, he gave Seto his space. When he wanted to, he would talk to Mokuba. Seto was never good with expressing his emotions, even in a private situation. It was best to just let him have his space.

So it surprised him when Ishizu had come up to him, asking about his brother as they were in the hall.

"Could you tell me where Seto went off to?"

He was unsure for a moment whether to answer her question. He wanted to be left alone, but Ishizu seemed genuinely concerned about his well being, something that after years of being around Yugi and friends, the brothers were still getting used to. The idea of actually having friends.

Plus, she called him by his first name, something that very few people did.

He shrugged. "He wanted some time to himself. I know he went that way," he pointed down the hall to his left, "but I don't know where after that. I know that our suites aren't that way."

"Thank you." She spun on her heel, walking at a brisk clip, perhaps in some attempt to catch up to him, although he doubted she could.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-

She didn't have much of a guide to go on when it came to seeking out the elder Kaiba but eventually she did, finding him at the very same little restaurant where they had their little meeting. He was at the bar, nursing a drink in a short glass as he leaned onto the bar. She slid onto the bar stool next to him, his eyes barely flickering upwards at her presence.

"I figured that you would follow me here," he growled.

"Is that was passes for a greeting nowadays?"

"What do you want?" he asked impatiently, cutting her off.

"I was. . .concerned about your well being, after you stormed off like that."

"And when does my choices affect you?"

She was taken aback by his question and she found herself unable to formulate a response. She had to fish for an excuse. If Marik had seen her fumble like this, he would have probably fallen off the bar stool in laughter. "As Dartz said, you're one of the three descendents of those Knights," she explained, the falsehood feeling like wool off her tongue. Not even she believed it.

He snorted, taking a drink. "I don't believe you."

She changed the subject quickly, before he could maneuver her into a corner she did not wish to be. "Just a Coke?"

He shook it, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. "With rum."

"I thought you didn't drink."

"Only when I'm not working, which I am not at the moment. Nor do I have a duel to concern myself with tomorrow. I think I can afford it."

That would explain his forward behavior, even more so than usual.

"Then I shall have likewise." Ishizu waved the bartender down, to order what Kaiba had. When he served her, she took a sip, the rum seeming to burn all the way down her throat. "I'll admit, I don't normally drink rum."

"You'll get used to it." He took another sip. "I already have." He finished the drink and turned to Ishizu. "Tell me, how do you live with it?"

"Live with what?" She suspected she already knew the answer.

"This whole, destiny thing." he waved a hand. "To careen towards an event, a moment, where you're no longer in control, only a vague assumption that directs you to this. Where's the control, where's the ability to make your own choices, to exercise your own free will, especially when you find out everything is for naught?" The bartender came by to replace his drink glass. Kaiba absently reached for the next drink and took a sip. "How can you live with that?"

She mulled the question, ignoring the burning sensation that came with each sip of her own beverage. She assumed that as the drunker one gets, the less they feel. "I. . .I'm not quite sure. I was always taught that we, the Tombkeepers, were destined to watch over the Pharaoh's tomb, wherever that may be, until he came back. Then, once that happened, we were at a loss. How do we conduct ourselves, now that we were like lambs whose shepherd went away? Do we mill about, or do we begin to make our own decisions? Destiny happens yes, but it is but a moment, past in an instant. It is what we do with the rest of our lives after it that makes the real difference. When the warrior is destined to slay the monster, what does the warrior do after his moment of destiny is over? Does he continue his path of the blade, to further make a name for himself, or does he settle down, knowing that his moment of glory is now passed?

"So then the real question is then, I believe, is how we react to this singular moment, our defining moment."

Kaiba contemplated this, idly swirling the glass, watching the ice cubes spin. "You don't believe in destiny either then, if you think that we make something with ourselves."

"Only in the aftermath of destiny. Until then, we are blindfolded, guided by a stranger towards a path. No matter what action we take, nor how far we stray from the path, the stranger will always redirect us to the true path."

"But what happens when we take that blindfold off?" Kaiba asked. "Do you continue, or leave the path entirely?"

"That would depend entirely on the path we were meant to take."

"An opportunist then." Kaiba eyes her. "I thought as much."

Ishizu snorted at this.

He fell silent, downing nearly half the drink. The affects of the alcohol were beginning to take effect, hence his openness with Ishizu, something he would never do when he was sober. "Tell me this then. Are we, are we destined, meant to, be with somebody? To be forced into it because this so called "destiny" says so?"

"You're thinking of Critias and Karis and of the Pharaoh Set and Kisara.."

He said nothing, hurriedly looking away. "I will not be with somebody simply because somebody else that happened to look like me fell in love with said person."

"What makes you think that Kisara, or whatever reincarnation she is, is even alive?" His eyes widened at this.

"Are they?"

Ishizu shook her head. "No, they are not. When Kisara died to become the Blue Eyes, she remained that way, as a Blue Eyes. By playing the Blue Eyes, you are in fact, continuously bringing her back to life, because she _is _the Blue Eyes. Ever wondered why you work so hard to keep it on the field? Not because it is one of your more powerful monsters, they are plenty of strong monsters, but because you "see" her as Kisara and that part of you, buried deep down, wants to keep her alive. So the short answer is no."'

He seemed to sigh in relief at this and Ishizu wondered why he was so concerned about such a thing. Was it because he liked to be in control, no matter the situation, even falling in love? Or was it something else entirely? As she contemplated the options, she flushed, her mind wandering to places where it should not go. "You know," she continued. "It is possible to love more than one person in a lifetime."

"I'm not entirely sure where you're getting at."

"When the priest Set assumed the throne after his cousin's death, he was deep in mourning, over Atem and Kisara. He was brought out of this depression by another, the priestess Isis. As time passed, he fell for her, as she did for him, reciprocating feelings that had been buried for a long time. He took her as his queen, much to the protests of the noblemen and had three children, the two youngest becoming the very first Tombkeepers. He loved Kisara yes, but he also loved Isis."

"I see then," he said absently, more focused on the glass at hand than Ishizu. He was immensely relieved by this revelation, knowing that he wouldn't be forced into this, only to repeat a cycle over and over again. It would seem that Kisara's death had altered this so called path. In some of the Eastern cultures, where reincarnation was one of the guiding tenets of their belief system, it was a popular theme, in entertainment, where two lovers, forced apart by family, friends or rivals would vow to be together, that no matter their reincarnation in the next life, that they would find each other again. A romantic notion for some, but for Kaiba it was not. He never thought much of the romantic side of things, not as a teenager, nor as an adult. He was too busy for such things. Joey had once used the term "Pon Farr" to describe the man's non-existent life. Kaiba wondered how on earth Joey even came across that term. Who knew he watched Star Trek?

As he thought over his notion, his mind went back to the Millennium World, a world of memories. He recalled the woman Isis, the one who wielded the Millennium Necklace. It was like a light bulb going off in his head.

She looked almost identical to Ishizu.

He wondered if she knew that.

Probably.

Ishizu seemed to know many things.

She didn't say anything however, thankfully.

"Now I get to ask you a question, Seto Kaiba," she began lazily, fiddling with the cardboard coaster on the bar. "You've lived nearly a half-dozen years of your life denying the prospect of destiny, magic and other situations deemed "hocus-pocus". Do you even begin to believe in them now, now that you have been confronted with situations you cannot merely file under "mere coincidences"."

He downed the final swallow of his drink, steeling himself for the answer he did not desire to give. When the bartender came by to offer him another drink, Seto waved him away. "I think. . .I think that as much as I would not like to believe, I am unfortunately being forced into it," he admitted, more to himself than anything.

"As good of an answer as any, I think."

"Says a woman who practically wallows in it."

She chuckled. "Touche." Ishizu pushed the drink aside, her head beginning to feel a little fuzzy, like someone had placed a woolen sock over her mind, her senses. The rum was a powerful alcohol indeed. "Perhaps I do spend a little too much time dealing with the paranormal and supernatural matters."

"Exactly."

Kaiba began to stand up from his seat, after placing more than enough cash to pay for his two drinks, Ishizu's and a hefty tip, but not before he swayed a bit and fell back onto the bar stool. A part of Ishizu wished to protest this but decided not to. Kaiba was notoriously stubborn, probably more so after consuming alcohol."I might have drank too much tonight." he said at last, as if making a great revelation. "I don't normally drink." he told her. If that was the case, he didn't display the obvious signs of being drunk. The only "real" sign was that he was much more open and forward with her than he normally was, if at all.

"Would you like assistance back to your suite?"

"You were drinking too."

"Not as much as you. I barely touched my drink. Here", Ishizu eased herself from her stool, offering Kaiba a hand, assistance off the bar stool. "Let me give you a hand."

He eyed the hand like it were the head of a poisonous snake, but decided to oblige her, allowing her to help him up off the stool. The scent of rum and coke was subtle on his breath but it was there. She kept a steady hand on his shoulder and lower back, guiding him. As the alcohol began to enter her own bloodstream, Ishizu wondered if she would need his assistance as well, going back to her own suite.

She had never even been near Kaiba's personal suite before, so she had to rely on him for directions. His mental facilities were still intact, so she was able to guide him to his room. Without much issue. Dealing with Kaiba, was a whole different matter all together. It would seem that as he drank, he became more upfront and forward about whatever came to mind, almost to the point of insulting, not directed at her thankfully. They were not the clear cut, well defined ravings of a blind drunk, but they were drunken musings about their surroundings and universe. If he had discovered the meaning of life and the universe itself, he would not have remembered it in the morning.

Clearly, the alcohol was far more effective than Ishizu had originally thought.

She wondered if she should avoid any conversation with the man, in case he led her to a prickly and sensitive subject.

And. . .he did.

"I have to ask," Kaiba began. "About this whole well, situation. You didn't really visit me because you were concerned about the Knights, did you?"

Ishizu vowed to keep Seto as far away as possible from Coke and rum.

Far, _far_ away.

"Well," Ishizu coughed. "To be honest. . ." And then, much to her everlasting relief, the room number of his suite appeared. "It would seem that you're home."

"Huh, so it would seem." He extracted herself from her grip and sought out the hotel key from his pocket. He undid the lock, going inside without even saying a word, not even a simple "thank you". When the door slammed shut behind him, she stood there, wondering what she would have said, answering his question.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_It had to be an alcohol induced hallucination, Seto determined, surveying his surroundings. He was on some rolling plain which seemed to go on forever, filled with scrub brush and scraggly little trees. The region was foggy, making it difficult to gauge exactly how far the plain went. He wandered for a bit before he came across a large, speckled gray boulder, an ancient tree with gnarly and knotted bark struggling to grow alongside it, its branches attempting to pierce the foggy heavens above. A man in royal blue armor sat on the boulder, his helmet removed and just to the left side of his lap. His hair was a fair shade of blond, with long bangs and tapering to the base of his neck. His eyes were a deep violet hue, wise yet saddened. A sword was placed across his lap, one hand resting on the hilt, ready to react at a moment's notice._

_ "Hello Seto," he said, his voice like that of a dragon's, deep and filled with many millennia of experience. "I have been waiting for you."_

_ Seto eyed the man. If it weren't for the eye and hair color, they would have been identical in features. It was like looking into a bizarre mirror. He wondered if he had fallen down the rabbit hole and ended up in Wonderland. This _had _to be caused by the alcohol, he determined._

_ "You're probably thinking that this is some sort of crazy dream, aren't you?" he asked Seto softly, sounding wounded._

_ "What would give you that idea?" Seto scoffed._

_ "I see then." the doppelganger nodded. "I understand your skepticism, but I can promise you, this is no dream, nor hallucination. This is very real, I can assure. I am Critias, the Knight of Atlantis and wielder of the Sword of Wisdom. I came here to convince you, to persuade you."_

_ "To persuade me of what?" Seto asked, raising an eyebrow, crossing his arms in defiance._

_ "That to defeat Midas, you must take up my blade, lost to the chasm of time, buried somewhere in the ruins of Troy."_

_ "This is merely a fantasy," Seto countered, "concocted by alcohol and my apparent intolerance for whatever rum Midas has stocked behind the bar."_

_ Critias merely chuckled, before breaking into laughter, laughter that sounded like his own, but this was more carefree, easier to conjure on the tongue and lips. He brought his violet hued gaze back to Seto, their eyes locking. "Really now? Are you so sure?"_

_ Seto's gaze faltered at this, a part of his mind questioning his own logic. Ever since his initial __run-in with Ishizu, the walls of logic, iron clad walls built of fact and observation, were beginning to crumble and collapse, as he began to wonder if there were some things that simply could not be __explained, whisked away by cold hard facts._

_ "I was once a man like you," Critias began. "A man of logic and of little emotion. I could explain the sciences of magic to you with a handful of words, wiping away their true power, their essence. I was not a man of emotion, until the arrival of the Orichalcos. It opened my eyes and then I began to believe that yes, there are some circumstances, some phenomenon that could not be merely broken down, described and picked apart by logic, such an alien power it was. Here," Critias unsheathed his sword and tossed it at Seto. He barely managed to catch it in time in his left hand. _

_ The blade was long and slender, the numerous layers of folded metal apparent by the rippling, wavy pattern in the metal. It possessed a dark blue sheen to it, such that when it hit the light, it flared the same color, as is fire had swept up the blade. The hilt was wrapped in blue rayskin, dyed to match the blade. It was designed to be wielded in either one or two hands whichever the bearer chose to wield. The pommel stone was of faceted sapphire, the size of a robin's egg, providing balance to the blade. It was a wonder that few could attempt to forge even today._

_ There was a searing pain and Seto gasped, the blade falling to the earth. "Careful!" Critias chided. Seto slowly opened his fist to reveal and angry red streak running across his palm, where he had gripped the hilt._

_ "You want your evidence?" Critias asked, the blade inexplicably appearing in his hands once again. "Do you want your proof that this is no mere dream? Then there it is."_

The dream faded and Seto sat upright in his bed, sweating, his clothes clinging to his skin. His left hand ached horribly, like he had been burned. He suddenly remembered the dream and he practically bolted out of the bed, heading to the bathroom. He shut the door, not so loud as to wake Mokuba and turned on the light, fearful of what he might uncover. He opened his hand up, ignoring the pain and sank slowly against the tiled wall, eyes fixed to the red streak that ran across it.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The air seemed alive with energy as the final duel of the tourney was set to begin. Yugi and Joey seemed charged and raring to go, like horses at the starting gate, eager to test their mettle against one another since their last "official" duel using the KaibaCorp duel disks. The arena itself, the very same one used for the quarter and semifinals, felt like a ghost town however. Not even the duelists that managed to survive the catatonic states showed up. It was only their friends. Even Kaiba showed up, looking as if he was nursing a headache, or hungover, Tristan said, casting a quick glance at the man; they easily dismissed the latter assumption, under the belief that Kaiba wouldn't even _touch_ a glass of alcohol, he was that disciplined. He kept his left hand out of the prying eyes of the spectators.

Midas, sitting upon his throne, clad in a charcoal gray suit, had spouted off on a speech, congratulating Yugi and Joey for advancing to the finals—although Yugi was certain that he had been disappointed by this—and the other duelists for making it as far as they did. He brought up the prize once more, the complete and total possession of his island and financial assets, before settling back down, fingers laced across his cane.

The duel itself was a nail biter, even if the ending had been expected. It was a constant struggle back and forth, no clear advantage, not even a slight lead, for as soon as one managed to surge ahead, the other was right behind with a comeback to bring them down a notch or two. There wasn't a clear winner until the very last play, when Yugi managed to replicate Joey's Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, powered up thanks to dragons in the Graveyard, and fusing it with his Dark Magician, forming Dark Dragon Mage and wiping the original Red Eyes Darkness Dragon off the field.

When the field finally cleared, the Life Point counter on Joey's disk clicked down to zero, signaling the end of the duel.

"I gotta hand it to you," Joey panted, wiping sweat from his brow, the duel more strenuous than expected. "I was not expecting you to copy my Red Eyes and using it against me."

"And I wasn't expecting you to power up that dragon that quickly. Wow, that had wiped out all of my monsters that one turn."

"That's nice that we're handing out all these accolades to each other," Kaiba growled impatiently. "But can we get this over with? I've got a killer headache and your incessant chatter is making it worse."

Joey rolled his eyes, while Tristan nudged Duke. "Told you it was a hangover."

"I still doubt it," Duke snorted.

Yugi turned to the pavilion where Midas sat. The chair, plush and luxurious, was now empty.

"Um, did anybody see Midas leave during the duel?" he asked, pointing.

They all spun about simultaneously, eyes focused on that empty chair. They shook their heads, not even hearing Midas getting up and leave. "I think we were all too focused on the duel at hand to even notice him leave," Ryou said, "let alone, knowing when he left."

"It's awfully suspicious to leave like that during a duel," Mokuba added. "I wonder where he could have gotten to."

Duke joked. "Maybe he somehow got water on him and melted like the Wicked Witch of the West-", he was quickly silenced by a withering gaze from Tea. "Well, it probably wasn't a bathroom break," he added under his breath.

"We better go find him." Rebecca said.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-. -.-.-.

The butt of the cane clicked on the concrete floor as he made his way across the hangar bay, to the small clump of private jets waiting for him. Affixed to his right arm was a duel disk, white and gold, in the shape of a flaring wing, like a pegasus or bird of prey. He was greeted by his pilot, a man with a thick Czech accent.

"Where will we be flying to?"

Midas pretended to mull the question over, before a twisted, dark smile tugged at his face.

"Çanakkale, if you could please."

**It's official.**

** I am a horrible person for leaving all these shipping hints, then bashing them all to bits with a baseball bat. Shame on me. :/**

** And yes, I believe that Seto Kaiba is a secret Trekkie. For those curious, he identifies with Spock and Captain Picard, both known for their logic and Spock for that lovely haircut ahaha. Wanna know why Seto has his hair that way? Now you know.**

** You're welcome for the mental image.**

** He also may or may not have a **_**tinsy weensy**_** fancrush on Seven of Nine(but then again, who wouldn't? ;b), who is also known for her unerring sense of logic and that slinky one-piece, but I'm sure now that it's out in the open, he will hunt me down...**

** Crap.**

** I REGRET NOTHING.**

** NOTHING, I TELL YOU.**


	42. Chapter 42: Soldiers of Magic

Chapter 42: Soldiers of Magic

They frantically searched the local area for Midas, but it had seemed that he managed to vanish without a trace, a wraith. "We need to go to his office," Yugi announced, heading to the elevator shaft, everybody else trailing behind him. The whole complex was quiet, with nary a soul populating the hallways. Yugi presumed that they had already left or they were in the hospital wing of the island. "He has to be there."

"If he's going after the Heartstone," Tea began hesitantly, her long dancer legs easily keeping pace with Yugi's furious fast paced ones.. ". . well, maybe he already left to find the swords."

"I hope not," Yugi said, faltering in his steps, his mind already going to the worst case scenario. "I most certainly hope not."

His office was even quieter than the residential halls. A pair of security agents, burly and clad in black suits, flanked either side of the hall's entrance. They had at least a foot and a hundred pounds on the young man. Midas must have stepped up his security after Yugi's previous excursion and Bakura, Tristan and Duke's little adventure.

"You are not allowed access to Midas' office," one of them warned.

"Then tell me where Midas went to," Yugi said, crossing his arms. Joey and Tristan stepped forward, cracking their knuckles, "and I'll leave."

"I'm afraid that we are not allowed to say."

"I don't have time for this." Kaiba easily side stepped around Yugi to push his way past the guards. As he made his way past, one of the guards spun about, grabbing Seto's arms. A flash of anger crossed his face, blue eyes alight. In a heartbeat, Kaiba twisted out of the man's grip, painfully twisting the agent's arm behind him and forcing him to the ground. The other man stepped forward, to gang up on the CEO, but Tristan placed himself in his path, blocking him and laying him out with a single punch to the lower jaw. Both fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Well," Tristan said, flexing his wrist. "That felt like old times."

Midas office, for once, was open, the door ajar. Yugi pushed it aside, only to be confronted by an empty room. The buzz of electronics were blindingly loud as he searched wildly, looking for any shred of , even if it is the tiniest piece of paper, of Midas' whereabouts. He came across a post-it note plastered to the computer on the desk just to the left of the doorway. He ripped it off, scanning it. It was written in Greek.

"Who can read Greek?" Yugi asked.

Rebecca took the paper, giving it just the barest of looks. "It says, "Get pilot for Çanakkale"."

"Shoe what-da-what?" Joey asked, fumbling over the correct pronunciation.

" "Tsha-nakka-le"," Rebecca corrected him. "It's a city in Turkey, I think. The name seems really familiar, actually." Yugi paled, the city's name triggering a memory. She caught his expression and her breath hitched, heart rate increasing in trepidation. "What is it?"

"I know that city."

"Know it from where?" Mai asked.

"That. . That's the city closest to the ancient city of Troy.

"He's going after the blades."

Bakura, who had been exploring the room, noticed a door of thick oak like the one to his office, on the far side of the room. Curious, he knocked on it. The door creaked open, revealing a darkened room. He pointed at the room. "Um, guys? I think I found something."

"What is it?" Ishizu peeked her head inside. The room had no windows, half melted candles dotting various places. Despite the bright day outside, no natural light pierced into its gloomy depths. "Anybody have a match or lighter?"

"Here," Joey tossed Ishizu a lighter from his jacket pocket. She caught it gracefully and lit it, entering the room first. The floor was made of slabs of stone, so tightly fitted together not even a piece of paper could slip in between. Her foot struck something hard and ringing, like metal built into the floor. She knelt, bringing the lighter close. The firelight caught the gleam of the metal, revealing some sort of ring, the metal the color of variegated copper, veins of a golden colored metal running through them. There were three layers, each one inscribed with upraised runes of a language so ancient that not even she could begin to make sense of. She stood up and quickly began to light the many candles in the room, to gain a sense of the bigger picture.

What she uncovered a was magic circle, like the one that the Tombkeepers sometimes used, three layers deep, with a six pointed star in the very center. She had never seen a six pointed star used in magic. Six, while a powerful number, was not nearly as powerful as say, seven, four or even three.

"That looks like the Seal of Orichalcos," Mai gasped, pointing at it. "It _has _to be."

"Could this be how Midas was able to trap people's souls?"

Yugi mulled it over. "Maybe. That would make sense."

"He would have to find a way to transfer the magic from this to the duel disks via the stone," Ishizu offered, tapping her cheek, thinking. "If the Seal was the magic circle normally utilized in conjunction with the Orichalcos, then a simple spell of transference would migrate the effects from here to there. Or this could be a by-proxy spell, when the circle and stone are so much in tune that whatever Midas did in here would occur in the stone as well-"

"Thanks for the science lesson," Kaiba interjected harshly, "but there is a felon out there who is gallivanting about the Mediterranean with trade secrets and I'm determined to find his identity."

"And he's going after the blades," Yugi said. "We have to get to them before he does."

"How would he get there though?" Duke scratched his head. "I mean, a boat would take a long time and a plane-"

"Let's ask one of them," Joey jerked a thumb to the groaning guards down the hall, the pair of them slowly coming out from unconsciousness. He promptly exited the rooms and shortly thereafter, they heard, "Hey, knuckleheads, tell me how the heck Midas would get to Turkey before I decide to crack your skulls in." The group remained quiet, listening to a string of curses by one of the guards, before they trailed off before grunting and sputtering something. "What was that? I can't hear you!" A couple of minutes later Joey came strolling back in, hands in his pocket. "Well guys, he'll probably be taking a whooper of a nap, but it turns out Midas has a private hangar where he keeps a few jets."

"Huh, that must be a real handy thing to have," Duke rolled his eyes. "Now let's go kick some evil, crazy whack-job butt."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Midas sat in the comfort of his seat, eyes occasionally going to the jet's window. The Aegean Sea spread out below him in a shade of the deepest blue. Islands, little more than hunks of rock adrift, were like specks of debris spread out on a blue canvas. He tore his eyes away, the deep blue waters reminding him too much of home, his real home, nearly three thousand years ago. Long ago, while he was still in the grips of his anger, angry about his horrific injury, his banishment from the scholarly order, he had made a rash vow to never return there, to those hot sands. Now, if he wanted to access the Library of Alexandria, not the modern one but the ancient one, maintained in the catacombs deep under the city away from prying eyes, Midas would have to return to his ancestral home.

Egypt.

"Sir, I have just received word that Yugi and his companions have discovered your disappearance," a security officer, on board with the man, informed him.

Midas nodded slowly, leaning back in his seat, fiddling with his cane. "I see, although I'm not that all surprised. Yugi, while I do not like him all that much, is quite perceptive and intelligent. I'll remain under the assumption that he knows exactly what I am doing at the moment."

"What should we do about it?"

"Quite simple," Midas replied condescendingly. The man reached into the pocket and pulled out a small shining object. It was a silver ring, with a wide band and a green stone mounted in it. It looked quite old, judging by the swirl patterns that flanked the setting. "It has been too long, old friend," he told the object quietly. It was one of the few items he had on him nearly all the time; however, with the tournament, Midas had shunned wearing it, for fear of rousing suspicion from Yugi and his little friends. He slipped the ring on his right middle finger, flexing his hand when he did so. The ring still fit perfectly, even after nearly a thousand years.

Midas then grasped the silver mount and twisted it, rotating the stone. He did this about a half dozen times, a full turn each time. He removed his hand away and the officer swore he saw the stone glow malevolently. It faded away quickly, too fast for the eye to keep track.

"I've already taken care of it."

The man paled and nodded tersely, a barely imperceptible movement. He hovered, waiting for Midas to bark off another order.

Midas spoke again, "Tell me, did you make the arrangements for our search? I do not wish to have tourists gawk at me while I'm seeking the blade."

He nodded again. "We've already made the arrangements. No one shall interfere with your search."

"Good. I hate busybodies. Now, off with you. I have things to deal with." The man scurried off, leaving Midas alone in the planes cabin. He fidgeted with the ring, feeling the faceted surface under his fingertips, a comforting gesture for him. His eyes flickered to the window, temporarily catching a glimpse of his reflection in the window. He made no movement, not even a flinch as he gazed upon his mask, concealing his ruined features; he was far too used to his hideous visage by now.

"Soon, the Sword of Wisdom shall be mine.

"As well as the Heartstone."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

Their numerous bags of luggage in hand, they made their way to the hangar, which seemed unusually silent. There were a pair of private planes tucked away on one side of the building, while a space next to them, presumably where the third plane went, was empty.

"Midas must have used the third plane to get to Çanakkale," Yugi said, looking about.

"So how the heck are we supposed to fly one of these things?" Joey asked. "I mean, it's not like any of us can fly a plane."

There was a flash of paper as Seto pulled something out from his long coat. "Pilot's license," he stated simply, curtly.

Joey shrugged. "It's nice to know rich people."

A security guard came charging forward. "You are not authorized to be here," he shouted at them.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "You have to be kidding me." When the guard managed to get close enough, Kaiba took a single stride forward and struck the man across the face with his right fist, his left one still aching. The guard staggered back a couple of steps before crumpling to the ground, unconscious. "I don't have time for this," he repeated.

"Um. . ."Tristan pointed to the man's shadow, which was stretching and moving under its own power. It pulled away from the man and began to bubble like a seething pit of tar. From the shadow a lupine like creature emerged, still cloaked in a layer of the black slime. The slime slid off slowly, dripping onto the hangar floor. It was bipedal and lean, almost too lean, the silhouettes of bones apparent. The monster was covered in matte gray, spiked armor about the chest and shoulders, while in its left hand it wielded a bone white sword, the edges jagged and wavy. Its face was a disturbing amalgam of man and dog, the muzzle skinny but short, the ears flared back like a dog. Its eyes were a bright red and the creature's skin looked to be pulled tight over its bone structure, reminding them of taut leather. The Seal of Orichalcos was glowing brightly upon their brows.

It howled, a ghastly sound, and the cry was echoed by other lupine monsters, identical to the first, a dozen in total.

"I don't know what you did," Joey told Kaiba. "But apparently you made it really mad."

"Maybe you could try talking to them," Kaiba sneered back. "Since I'm sure that this is a family reunion for you."

"Will you two shut it!" Tea snapped, eying the monsters nervously. "We don't have time for your petty comments!" She turned to Yugi. "Do you even know that these things are?"

He shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this before but with the Seal of Orichalcos on their heads, I can only assume that Midas somehow summoned them to delay us."

"Well, I wouldn't recommend punching them," Joey said, placing himself in front of Serenity, Mai doing likewise. "Speaking from personal experience, you know."

Yugi said nothing, drawing a card from his deck, dropping his bag. "I summon my Gazelle, King of Mythical Beasts and Berfomet. Now, destroy the Orichalcos monster!"

The others took their cue, summoning their own monsters to combat Midas' creations.

"I play Cyber Harpy and activate Elegant Egotist, which creates three Harpies!"

"I send Red Eyes Black Chick to the Graveyard to summon Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

"Necrofear, take to the field!"

"You too, Ruby Dragon!"

"I sacrifice my Kaiser Sea Horse for Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

The monsters tore into the lupine warriors with a practiced ease, shredding them as easily was one could shear flesh from bone. They fell, one by one, to the combined forces of their monsters, each creature falling with not a battle cry, but a whimper. The duel monsters fell back, hovering about their respective masters, each of them satisfied that their work had been been accomplished. The lupine monsters collapsed into puddles of liquid shadows. Ryou spotted the first reincarnation.

"They aren't dead," he said, pointing to the closest puddle. The lupine monster reemerged from the shadows, its body whole and complete like it had never even encountered a battle in its life.

"Well, that didn't work," Joey said in a huff, disappointed.

"They're like the Orichalcos soldiers Dartz created. They could only be destroyed by the three Dragons, Timeaus, Critias and Hermos." Yugi explained.

"But we don't exactly have those, now do we?"

Yugi held his hands up in frustration. "Well, I don't know what to do then."

"It's quite simple." Ishizu, who had been at the center of their group stepped up. Her hands were cloaked in blue-violet flames all the way up to her forearms. Her eyes luminesced with a blue light, making her exotic eyes even bluer than before. "If they were created with magic, then they must be undone with it as well. Shame the Pharaoh never taught you about the use of Shadow Magic. It would be useful here." She made a sweeping gesture with her hands, sending a wave of mystical energy at the closest monster. The blue fire lashed the creature across the chest and it screamed, a horrible screeching sound that was reminiscent of metal scraping across metal. The lupine monster exploded into a pile of ash, completely obliterated. She sent two more waves and three more monsters suffered the same fate, one wave hitting two of them at once in a fortuitous strike.

She continued with this, until she sank to her knees, a sheen of sweat covering her brow. The blue flames wavered and began to die out. There were still five monsters left. "I'm out. . .of my reserves," she panted, looking down at her hands. "I can't make any more. . .I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Mokuba said, helping her upright. "We don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Yes, but we got quite a few nasties left," Duke called back to them, taking a quick glance to the slavering beasts.

"If I may be of assistance," Ryou coughed, raising his hands, which, like Ishizu's, glowed with energy, save his was more of a violet-black hue, like the tendrils of the Shadow Realm. "Um. . I believe that there is still a bit of the Spirit's erm, influence left." He stepped forward and thrust a palm out. A whip of shadow energy lashed out, impaling the first monster, who simply dissolved, rather than exploding, like Ishizu's magic had done. He clapped his hands together and a wave of shadows poured from the floor, engulfing a pair of them and dragging them back to the very depths of the Shadow Realm. He waved his left, then his right and a pair of shadow "blades" sliced the torsos open of the remaining beasts, who dissolved into nothing more than wisps of their former selves.

When it was all said and done, they looked at him, awestruck. Ryou looked down at his hands. "I discovered this by accident, when I well, accidentally sent a pair of bullies in London to the Realm. I found a way to bring them back thankfully, but I practiced in secret since them. I didn't want to alarm any of you with this. I am awfully tired though. And hungry."

Joey spoke up first, eyes wide as saucers. "No no, don't worry your little head over it. We've seen _loads_ freakier."

"That was impressive," Yugi admitted, picking up his bags, stepping around the bodyguard, who was still sprawled on the floor of the hangar. "But we need to get moving, before Midas gets any further ahead."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

The city of Çanakkale was spread out before him, a city of grays, reds, and browns, set against a dusty and craggy landscape. It was a clash of the ancient and the modern, the old and the new. Perched on the shoreline of Turkey's northwestern region, it provided a gateway for shipping and tourism alike, offering tours of the ancient ruins of Troy. The city itself, Midas' destination, was a short trip southwest of the city, in a plains region near the mouth of a river, Karamenderes, known as the Scamander in the epic poem T_he Iliad. _That was to be his destination, where the Sword of Wisdom was buried somewhere. The private jet flew closer and closer to the runway of the airport located just on the edge of Çanakkale and Midas' heart began to race. He rummaged through his pack, pulling out a small journal. It was about six inches long, four inches wide and bound in leather. The pages were worn and slightly yellowed at the edges, nearly every page filled with notes and drawings. Over the years, the many, many years, he had kept a written record, gathering clues and notes on the blades and the Heartstone, how to resurrect the city of Atlantis from its watery grave. But first, the Sword.

He only had a few rough guides to go by, but from what he could gather, Odysseus, the last man to possess the blade, had buried it at the grave site of his dear friend and fellow warrior Achilles. Some stories said that Achilles was actually cremated, while others disagreed. Mythologies could be so conflicting in that way, but Midas was used to such a thing by now. He had narrowed it down to a small area in the ruins of the city, near the oldest parts of the city, the ruins depicted in _The Iliad._ For a blade as powerful as it was, it _had _ to be buried alongside Achilles, for only a warrior such as he, the temper to Odysseus' calm, could deserve such a gift.

While Odysseus was famous for his work with a bow, thanks to _The Odyssey, _he had worked with the blade as well, although this was not nearly as well known as the former. How else would he have fought during the siege of Troy? Bows were excellent for long distance, but not melee combat. It was the onlything to explain Odysseus' true gift of knowledge and cleverness, gifts that carried him through his ordeals. Perhaps Athena gave him the blade, or it was passed down from father to son, but either way, the Sword of Wisdom influenced his actions and behaviors; it was the only explanation. But in the wake of _The Iliad,_ the sword had disappeared from the written record, as if Odysseus no longer carried one, instead, the mythologies focusing on the famous bow from _The Odyssey_. This indicated to Midas that he had somehow got rid of the blade, whether willingly of by force. Since no one but the descendents of the original Knights could actually wield the blade, that meant that Odysseus gave it up willingly, which led to Midas' theory that he had buried it with a companion.

Clearly, it was not Ajax, for the pair had a bitter rivalry in the aftermath of Achilles' death, the mentioned warrior slain by Paris with a single arrow.

If that was the case, then he only real question was, where was the mighty warrior, felled by a single arrow, buried, if the Sword of Wisdom was buried with him, like Midas believed.

There was a sudden thump as the plane's wheels struck the tarmac of the runway. "We're here, Master Midas," the security officer informed him. Midas growled at the man, his concentration broken. He slid the journal in a pocket on the inside of his jacket, the other hand clenching the head of his cane.

"Very well then. Prepare the vehicle for me. I'll shall be out there shortly."

The plane landed without a hitch and Midas stepped out, cane in hand, the ring glittering in the afternoon sun. A man greeted them on the tarmac. In his hands there was a small golden box, richly decorated with ancient Egyptian patterns, including a falcon, shaped from turquoise, carnelians and aquamarine on the lid. "Ah, so this is the box that had given me so much trouble." He slid the lid aside, eyes growing wide as he studied the contents. He plucked a single green stone from its depths, holding it between the thumb and forefinger. "Magnificent, simply magnificent," he said, awestruck. "Clearly, these are some of the best specimens of the Orichalcos I have seen. Dartz must have given this to the Nameless Pharaoh, in his quest to corrupt the man." He turned to the man. "And the scrolls?"

He shook his head and Midas frowned, tersely placing the stone back in the box. "They could not be found. It would seem the Mistress Tabitha no longer had them, when we searched her hotel room."

Midas snarled, grabbing the cane and striking the man across the face with it. "I will _not_ tolerate this!" the man stumbled away, clutching his face, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, a bruise rapidly forming across his cheek. "You will find them!" The ring on his hand flashed ominously and the onlookers swallowed nervously. Midas was breathing heavily, hand clenched tightly around the cane. With a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, he wiped away minute traces of blood from the cane. He began to walk briskly to the vehicle, a SUV designed for off road travel, pointedly ignoring his staff, too furious to even look at them.

** Ryou's little gift, while it may seem random, will be one of the many things explained in the one-shot collection and has been planned for a while, actually. In short, the Spirit of the Ring left some indelible marks on Ryou's psyche and consciousness. This includes certain skills, like lockpicking and sneaking about, and those pertaining to the supernatural, including the ability to use Shadow magic. Ishizu and Marik can as well, because of their upbringing and their connections to the Items, but not Odion. Atem/Yami never taught Yugi the need, probably because he didn't know how to teach it to him. Atem's skills came instinctively, because he had no memory of who taught him (Mahad); all that he knew was that he could use it.**

** This will be explained much more in the one shot collection "Tales of Atlantis" so don't fret too much. Of course, probably two thirds of you are thinking I'm completely reaching but hey, I gave it a shot ahaha.**


	43. Chapter 43: Old Friends Reunite

Chapter 43: Old Friends Reunite

The ruins of Troy were like a cemetery in Midas' eyes, the man flanked by a pair of security officers, armed with shovels and other tools designed to dig up a body. It was getting to be late in the day, the sky darkening to the evening and twilight. There were no tourists, for Midas had found a way to repel any onlookers from the archeological site; even archeologists were banished from the area, leaving him free to explore.

The city of Troy was actually comprised of many cities, built on top of another as time passed. Some ruins were younger than others, with less erosion and destruction, while others seemed to be as old as the very birth of civilization, their once grand buildings now nothing more than mere lumps of stone and earth in the ground, time taking its toll on them. The area was also prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes as well, further wreaking havoc on the area. It was an area of scrub brush of drab golds, browns of greens, with long stalks of grass covering swathes of the ruined city, some growing over the ancient buildings in unusually shaped hills. Scraggly looking trees poked through the earth in an apparent struggle to survive in such a harsh environment. Midas could pick out certain features like partially collapsed pillars and half standing walls, the shadows of what once was, before it was brought down by time and the forces of Greece. The foundations of Troy's once mighty and alabaster walls were all that remained, underfoot and grown over by the flora.

To some, it was a beautiful sight but for Midas, it was only an obstacle to overcome for his quest. Somewhere in the maze of fallen buildings and pillars dwelt the grave site of Achilles and there, he should find the Sword of Wisdom, if all of his calculations, compiled over hundreds of years, were correct.

And they should be.

He growled to himself in frustration. How would he find the remains, he pondered? There would be no grave markers—for fear that the soldiers of Troy would desecrate it—no obvious signs of his tomb, at least, none that he knew of. With such little information at hand, ironic considering, how would he dig up the sword? He thought it over for a moment, until inspiration struck.

He would use magic.

While he did not have specifics, he knew what he should find at the site. Therefore, he could use magic to seek out a sight where a soldier was buried alongside a sword, one that was highly advanced for its time period, a blade with a sheen of blue that made it look like it was glowing with a blue flame, if he recalled the writings right. Simple enough, there weren't a whole lot of swords matching that description.

"Stand back," he ordered his guards. "I am going to use magic."

"Here?" they asked, shocked at their employer's sudden demand.

"Yes." Dutifully they took a handful of paces backwards, their eyes wide behind their sunglasses. Midas closed his eyes and began to make foreign gestures with his hands and pianist like fingers. The ring began to glow while he chanted a strange language. The guards watched in amazement, the words sounding like gibberish, the gestures like that of an insane man. It made no sense to them. Midas' hands began to glow as well, leaving trails of pale green fire in their wake. The spell itself was a fairly simple concept: he was to locate the sword using a series of parameters he set himself; a sword with a bluish sheen, buried alongside a corpse of a warrior who died a few thousand years ago. While the parameters themselves were quite broad, he managed to narrow it down, using a "checklist" of sorts outlining what exactly he was seeking, even if he didn't have the exact details.

A few minutes later, the spell was done, a vague mental picture in his mind's eye, but he felt like he was being led to the place, an irresistible tug, an urge that could not be explained. The spell worked then, Midas realized with a start.

He pointed in a northwesterly direction, past a sea of broken pillars and columns. "That way."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

It was an inexplicable draw, a feeling like nothing else Seto had experienced before in his life, not even when he encountered Kisara in the Memory World. It was like a magnet, pulling him closer. His left hand, where it had been burned during the dream sequence—he had no other word to describe it—itched terribly as well. Could this be a sign, as much as he did not wish to admit it. A sign of this, "Sword of Wisdom"? "Yugi," he commanded imperiously, garnering his attention. "You need to make a left up here," he gestured to a tilted column, covered in the local flora.

Yugi raised an eyebrow, startled. "Are you sure?"

"I don't think I've never been so sure in my life," Kaiba admitted slowly, the words like an unfamiliar taste on his tongue. How could he explain what had occurred the night before, the visit from Critias, or at least he thought it was Critias. Sadly, the burn on his hand had dispelled all illusions.

Ishizu leaned forward. "How can you be so sure?" she asked him, her breath tickling the nape of his neck. He shuddered at this involuntarily.

"I. . .I'm not quite sure, actually. But you have to do it. I'm sure of it. I know it."

Yugi nodded and turned the jeep, avoiding a jagged stone protruding from the earth. "Now where?"

Kaiba paused for a moment. The tug was directing him to an area of craggy and rough ground, where the vehicle couldn't quite go. "Stop here."

The jeep pulled to a stop and Kaiba practically leapt out of the vehicle, striding purposefully towards the hill, keeping his left hand close to him at all times.

Yugi scratched his head. "I wonder if he knows something, about where the location of the sword is."

Mokuba shrugged. "I don't know. He's been acting strange all day and last night, he jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, like Scrooge himself had seen a ghost. He's been keeping his hand out of sight too. I wonder it that had to do with it."

"Maybe, but for Kaiba to act this way, it's unprecedented. He must know where the sword is. It's the only thing I can think of."

"Well, we better follow him, before we lose him in the ruins of Troy," Tea said, jogging past them. Yugi then heard her mutter. "Why do I always bring the _worst _shoes on adventures?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

"Joey, can't you drive this any faster?" Tristan asked him, trying to remain inside the vehicle. They had procured a pair of jeeps for their trek into the ruins of Troy. It was getting to be evening, the sun starting to dip down towards the horizon. Because there were so many of them, the divvied themselves up into two vehicles: Joey, Tristan, Mai, Serenity, Duke, and Ryou rode in one, while Yugi, Tea, Seto, Mokuba, Rebecca, and Ishizu rode in the other. In case Midas decided to summon more Orichalcos monsters, they made sure that Ryou and Ishizu rode in separate cars.

"If I did, then you would be flying out of the car," Joey retorted. "Besides I'm driving behind Yugi. I can only go as fast as he does."

"Still, it's getting a little late and I do _not_ want to be around when it gets dark."

"I second that statement," Duke added, raising a hand.

Joey rolled his eyes. "Don't make me reach back there!"

"Cool your jets Joseph," Mai reassured him, in an effort to cool his ire and frustration. She was sitting in the passenger seat. "It's been a long day and we're all tired. They're just being, well, themselves."

"Tell me about it. I've dealt with these buffoons all through high school."

"Hey, will you stop flirting and keep your eyes on the road?" Duke teased.

Joey turned hastily away from her, focusing on the road, temporarily avoiding eye contact. Mai on the other hand reached about and smacked Duke upside the head.

Ryou, who was clinging in the very back for dear life—since he did not have a seat belt—pointed ahead, where Yugi had pulled to a stop. "I think Yugi spotted something up ahead."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Midas continued to wander the grounds of the ancient city, rubble all around him, his two security officers tagging close behind him, a mixture of awe and bewilderment stamped upon their faces. His cane, deemed a hazardous risk, was now tucked under his arm while he purposefully strode the grounds, the magic leading him on, as if he were a hound, picking up on the scent of his prey. As he neared the destination, wherever that may be, the magic began to reverberate in his chest, vibrate almost, like a divining rod.

He was finally led to a small clearing at the bottom of a hill, probably formed from layers of ancient cities, surrounded by a copse of trees, forming a rough ring. Half ruined foundations and statues were littered in between the trees and in some cases, obscured by them. Midas pushed his way through the trees, shoving aside branches and half dead brambles. The clearing itself was in a rough oval shape about thirty yards long. A single boulder punctuated the scenery. Midas knelt next to the boulder, careful not to sully his suit, the magic strongest there. It was now like a deep resounding ache in his chest, one that could not be alleviated by medicine or the healing arts. His two followers came to a stop a short distance away, somewhat hesitant, shovels at the ready.

At last, Midas pointed to the earth at his feet. "Dig here." he commanded. He stepped away as they began their work, the shovels biting through the rough earth. The area was mostly quiet, the only noise the rough scrapping of shovels against the earth.

Ten minutes passed.

Then it was fifteen.

It wasn't until over a half hour later that the first shovel struck against something hard. "I think we hit something sir!" one of them shouted.

"Obviously," Midas sneered, kneeling next to the hole. "Well, don't just stand there, move the dirt away!" The bobbed their heads, reaching into the hole to brush away at the dirt. Soon, a skull encased in a Corinthian helmet was revealed, the first true piece of evidence he had. They continued their work, revealing other bits, such as the finger bones, scattered due to time, a chest piece and a round shield forged from bronze. "Keep digging!" Midas snarled when they began to slow.

About a half foot underneath the body was a long piece of tattered leather, worn and aged. It was clearly wrapped about something, for Midas could see the tantalizing hints under the ragged pieces. Was this the Sword of Wisdom he had been seeking? "Move!" He roughly shoved them aside, leaping down in the hole, no longer caring about his choice of outfit. He crouched next to the remains his hands trembling as he started to lift the first shred of cloth. There, tucked underneath was a glimmer of the sword's blade. He moved another shred, revealing the sword's hilt. He reached down, his long fingers brushing against the hilt before closing about it. There was a sudden sizzle of flesh and Midas jerked his hand away, hand throbbing painfully. They were red, the first few blisters forming where he had touched the hilt.

He turned abruptly to his staff. "Give me your jacket!" he demanded. When they hesitated, he snapped, "Now!" They caved in, shedding their suit coats and dutifully handing them over. Midas used one to wrap the hilt, the other the blade itself. Once it was sufficiently wrapped, Midas attempted to hold it once more, gingerly, since his hand pained him. The heat was apparent through the sword, as if it was angry at the man's touch; Midas mildly pondered if it would burn through the coat. He cradled it as he would a child and passed it off to the closest man. The man eyed it with a cautious glance, wondering if the blade would burn him as well. He held it in his arms as Midas stepped out, brushing the dirt and debris off his suit, clearly not ideal for this line of work.

"Cover this back up and head back to the vehicle," he ordered calmly, casting a disparaging glance over the burial site of the warrior. It was a shame that he had been buried so unceremoniously, only to be exhumed in the same manner, as if he matter not at all. Either way, Midas had retrieved what he had come for he told himself, turning his back on the scene as the unburdened man shoveled the dirt back over the remains.

Not at all.

Then, he sensed something in the air, a faint trickle of voices, noises all about him. He tensed, knowing full well who it was. "So it would seem that Yugi Muto finally discovered my little expedition after all. Expected of course, but mildly disappointing all at once," he mused to himself. "You are too easy to predict, my little friend." He faced his men. "Head back to the vehicle at once, I have business to take care of." They hurried off through a small opening in the half dead and gnarled trees leaving Midas alone in the glade.

"Come at me."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- 

The tug led Seto through a winding region of boulders and gullies, Yugi and the others just behind, their pants audible in the silence. He wished he could find a reasonable, logical explanation for his behaviors, but with his hand aching more and more by the second, he leapt to the conclusion that only the sword from his dreams—if they could be called dreams—was the only thing that could heal his wound.

He slid down a decent hill, the hill face littered with rocks and grit. His boots kicked up plumes of dust as he went down. He nearly stumbled when he reached the bottom, the boot catching on a rock protruding up. The area was relatively flat and expansive, at the foot of three hills. He walked slowly as the landscape seemed to echo the dreamscape from the previous night more and more. He was half expecting the man who called himself Critias to magically turn up.

"Are we close?" It was Yugi, who had managed to catch up to him. "I have a feeling you know precisely where it is, the sword, I mean."

Kaiba hardly batted an eye at Yugi's sudden presence, answering, "I. . .I think so. I'm. . .I don't know how to describe it," he said at last, sounding not like a confident assured CEO, but a teenager struggling with his inner self. It would seem that Kaiba was finally starting to get it, Yugi decided.

"There's a lot we can't explain," Yugi replied with a shrug. "You just have to go with it. Lead on."

They continued in silence for another fifty or so yards, the earth crunching under their feet. The first solid shadows of trees loomed in their vision, as well as a small opening. The area was as silent as a tomb. Kaiba came to a stop, absently massaging his palm. A moment of hesitation washed over him but it passed quickly as he straightened himself up, striding towards the copse of trees.

"Well, I was expecting you to show up." It was Midas, waiting for them. Even in the evening light, his eyes seemed lit with madness, a madness brought upon by power. "However, you are too late."

"What do you mean, too late?" Yugi called out to him, deep down already knowing the answer.

Midas gave a mocking bow, arms spread out wide, the cane in one hand. He let out a dark chuckle, ringing and hollow behind his mask. "Why, it's quite simple my boy," he replied. "What you are seeking is gone. Vanished. Poof! Completely disappeared. Shame, isn't it?"

"Don't play this game Midas," Yugi warned, voice echoing in the hills surrounding them. "Hand it over and end this madness now."

"And end the fun?" Midas scolded them, straightening upright. "Now, why would I do that when I'm having _so_ much dragging you about by your noses."

"Midas!" Yugi snarled. "This isn't a game!"

Midas shrugged. "I thought it was." He tapped the nose of his mask. "You know, you sound awfully familiar. . .hmmm, ah, I got it! A very famous Pharaoh! Now, what was his name. . .," he mused.

Yugi swallowed hard, struggling to keep the anger down; it was obvious that Midas was mocking him, but how did he know about the Millennium Puzzle and Atem? "How do you know about that?" he croaked at last.

"I'm immortal boy, I know lots of things." Midas stole a glance at his wrist. "Well would you look at the time, I must be off." He turned about, sauntering off. He stopped about ten yards away and looked over his shoulder. "Of course, I wouldn't leave my opponents empty handed. That would be _very_ unsportsmanlike of me. So, I'll leave you a consolation prize." He raised his right hand, revealing a ring, one with a silver band and a green stone mounted in the center of it. It glowed like the dull light of a lantern before fading away. "Have fun with it." He vanished as mist happened to roll in, the color of green magician's smoke. The vicinity seemed to darken and fade away from Yugi and Kaiba as they began to hear unearthly howls in the mist.

Yugi flipped on his duel disk reflexively. "Brace yourselves," he told Kaiba.

"Already done so," he replied, the artificial light of his disk piercing the dark.

"Yugi!" It was Joey careening down the hill. "What's going on?"

"Midas got away," Yugi shouted back, his voice muffled by the supernatural fog. There was another howl and a shadow passed between the two men. Joey yelped, jumping back and nearly colliding with Tea.

"What the heck was that!" he screeched, his voice jumping up half an octave.

"And we have company."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

The landscape of the region was quite dusty and dry, in Marik's opinion. It was awfully bumpy and tumultuous as well, due in part to the nonexistent road and Aaron's driving. His friend, the retired officer from the security forces, had arrived within a day and with Odion in safe hands they could drive to Çanakkale, somewhat of a weight off their shoulders. Since Aaron's jeep held some "interesting" surprises in it as well, some which may not bode well with any Turkish officials, he had decided, with great reluctance, to leave the jeep behind as well; he still carried his side arm with him though, just in case.

There was a spectacular bump, sending all three of them nearly flying out of their seats. Marik gripped the roll cage of the jeep, asking, "How much further to Troy, do you think?" He had decided to continue sitting in the rear of the vehicle next to Sivya. He enjoyed her company, sorely needed during this time, plus he would have felt uncomfortable, sitting where Odion had sat for the bulk of their journey.

Aaron shrugged his shoulders, hands still on the wheel. "Not long now," re replied, eyes going back to him. "At least, that is what the GPS says on here."

"Hmm." Marik settled back into the seat. "I wonder how we'll find this "Midas" character. From what Ishizu said, he was a tall skinny guy who wears a gold mask and is an all around jerkface. That shouldn't be _that_ hard to find, right?"

"Yes, but Turkey, and Çanakkale, are big places, easy to get lost in. I'm sure Midas has the resources to fade into the background."

"Which is a problem." Marik added. He sat there, conjuring up possible methods to track Midas, whoever he may be. He wasn't able to come up with anything.

Shortly thereafter, Aaron reached an area of rocky hills and crevices, devoid of most vegetation. The air, it seemed foggier and heavier than normal, like he was entering into a fog. He shuddered and not because of the temperature drop. It felt like nothing he had experienced before, like icy fingers plucking at every part of him, trying to delve into his soul.

"Something doesn't feel right," Marik said quietly, echoing Aaron's thoughts precisely. Sivya nodded and hugged herself tightly, eyes wide with fright. "It feels. . .off, somehow."

"Indeed."

"What could it be?" Sivya asked Marik.

"I dunno. Something supernatural, I think."

The air grew more cloying as the ventured deeper into the landscape. It was June, yet it felt like October. The jeep was now driving to a crawl to avoid any chance of accidents. A mist roiled and churned about their vehicle, the color of seafoam green. It was dark, much darker than it should have been that time of day, that time of year.

Something akin to a wolf's howl ripped through the landscape, piercing like rusty nails across a chalkboard. It rattled their teeth and sent shivers down their spine.

"Now, I _know_ that there are no wolves in Turkey," Aaron said, one hand leaving the steering wheel to go for his side arm tucked away under his shirt. Deftly he shut off the safety, finger resting lightly on the trigger. A short distance away in the green fog, a figure slipped through, pausing as it stepped in front of the jeeps headlights, highlighting its features. Aaron yelped in surprise, slamming down on the brakes.

The monster was a quadruped, close to twenty feet long, its skin the color of slick black, like the hue of an oil spill. Its skeletal structure was plainly visible to the naked eye, the skin pulled taut over the ropy muscles and jutting bones. It possessed no tail and its limbs were long and lean, slightly bent at the joints. Its face was perhaps the most frightening thing of all, long like a canine's but sloping. The skin was pulled even tighter over its face, revealing the hollow parts of its skull, in the upper jaw and nostrils. The eyes were red and angry and the Seal of Orichalcos was stamped upon its brow. It had no gums, the ivory fangs protruding from its skull. The lupine creature, if such a comparison could be made, let out a violent screech, the noise stabbing in their skulls like a set of rusty knives, and loped off into the darkness, vanishing into the mist.

Sivya squeaked in horror

Aaron brought the vehicle to a stop. "I hate magic," he muttered before asking Marik, "Pass me my duel disk."

"I'm coming with you," Marik replied, passing the device up from the rear.

"Me too," Sivya said suddenly.

"I would advise highly against it," Aaron latched the disk on, the gun in the other hand. "You need to stay here, where it's safe."

"I doubt that wherever we went to, it would not be "safe"." Marik snorted, slipping on his disk. To emphasize his point, a stream of coursing white energy blasted through the fog a short distance, brightening the sky with it. He pointed, hardly batting an eye. "And that," he paused, "Was a White Lightning attack." He blinked in surprise. "Wait, what's Kaiba doing here of all places?"

"Well, we're about to find out." Aaron proceeded from the jeep, his disk acting as a makeshift flashlight. Marik and Sivya followed behind, Sivya with her walking staff, since that had proved fairly effective the last time they clashed with these shadow monsters.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They surrounded the group as a pack of wolves would circle a wounded stag. The many Seals of Orichalcos acted a beacons in the fog, plainly establishing their movements, much to the relief of Ishizu and Ryou, who occasionally blasted one into the shadows from whence they came, but there were still too many of them. They had summoned a handful of Duel monsters, to stave them off, but since that solution proved only temporary, they had to resort to Ishizu and Ryou Bakura.

"Man, I'm getting really tired of this," Joey groaned, his Gilford the Lightning hovering nearby. Thanks to Gilford's special ability, he had been able to wipe out most, if not all the Orichalcos monsters; unfortunately, the attack proved to be a fruitless endeavor as they came back, their shattered bodies coalescing back to their original forms. "First those freaky wolf people, and then these," he ducked under a White Lightning attack from Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon. "As Dorothy would say, "we ain't in Kansas anymore". I'm actually kind of wishing for the old days, back when the villains didn't summon freaky monsters and what not."

"Do you _really_ want Pegasus running around, zapping people's souls into monster cards?" Tristan asked.

". . .Maybe not."

Yugi was watching one of the monsters, who had been lurking too close to he and Tea. His Dark Magician was proving to be somewhat of a hindrance, like Joey's Gilford the Lightning, but at least it was delaying the total onslaught it could have been. Of course, this also meant that it was delaying their pursuit of Midas as well. Tea, who did not have a duel disk, stayed mostly behind Yugi, just in case, granted, she was tough enough to fend for herself—she had kicked off the heads of mummies once upon a time—she did not want to know what would happen should she end up going toe-to-toe against one of these beasts.

One of the monsters twitched and lunged at the pair, the first real movement of the monsters since their conception. Yugi stepped in the way of the monster's flight path, shielding Tea from it, and he swung his arm about, the one with the duel disk on it. The "blade" of the disk, collided the lupine creature full in the face, abruptly ceasing its attack. The monster yelp and tumbled away. It shakily stood back up, popping its limbs. Its lower jaw dangled from the skull by a flap of skin and a few tendons; Yugi had clearly broken its jaw. It shook its head and the lower jaw swung back into place, the muscles and bone already knitting itself back together. It snarled and lunged once again, catching Yugi off guard and sending the young man on his back, its claws scrabbling for a foothold, one claw slicing through his clothes and his skin. He screamed in pain. He barely managed to ward the beast off, using the duel disk as a shield of sorts from the beasts slavering jaws. Saliva dripped from its canines. He kicked at the monster's abdomen, hoping that that would force the creature off

"Yugi!" Tea screamed, running at him, but was stopped by another monster, who had placed itself between her and Yugi. Tea scowled at the creature and lashed out with her right foot, the years of classical ballet training coming in handy. The foot impacted the monster's skull with a sickening crunch and it sunk to the ground, melting away into shadows. She wondered if it was coming back, but after a few heartbeats, it did not materialize. She continued towards Yugi, running at the brawling pair.

"You can fight them off!" she told the others suddenly, an idea springing to mind. "Use your fists, not your duel monsters!"

"Now that I can do!" Joey replied, managing to get a monster into a headlock and snapping its neck while avoiding the creature's deadly fangs. Mai kicked one in the face with her stiletto boot, impaling its eye and piercing its brain and skull.

Meanwhile, Yugi was struggling to keep his monster's fangs away from his throat. The saliva reminded Yugi of acid, dripping and sizzling as they hit the ground in large droplets. He lashed out with a boot into a knee and was rewarded with a crunch as he shattered its kneecap. It slipped for a moment, before its leg repaired itself. So, you couldn't wound the creatures, but you could kill them in a single gesture, Yugi realized, his mind thinking of ways to slay the Orichalcos beast. First though, he had to get it off of him.

A noise like a rocket going off roared through the surroundings, echoing off the hills and ruins. The beast Yugi had been wrestling howled, its head jerking to one side at an abnormal angle. It keeled over on Yugi's left, melting away. There was another, and a third ringing noise. The monsters, what were left, were beginning to twitch and jerk spasmodically, triggering confusion from the group. He clutched his wounded left bicep and stood upright. "What was that?" He asked Tea.

She shook her head. "I have no idea, but whatever it is, its working." She spied blood leaking from between his fingers. "You're bleeding!" she declared, instantly concerned.

"It's only a scratch," he reassured her. He took a peek at the wound, paling at the sight of blood. "A really big scratch, it would seem."

"Kaiba?" His ears perked at the voice, heart jumping in surprise. He whirled about, spying three figures racing down to the grove and clearing. Two of them he did not recognize. One was an older man, with short trimmed hair and carrying a handgun, firing as he ran. He must have been the one to shoot the beast off of him. The third was a young lady, dressed modestly and of long black hair and long limbs, like a gazelle of deer. She carried a staff with her, her tool of defense presumably.

The third one, trailing just behind the man with the gun was a sight for sore eyes, easily recognizable with his pale blond hair and lavender hued eyes.

"Marik! What are you doing here?" Ishizu shouted in surprise, her voice hitching at the recognition of her younger sibling. She made a step forward, but was impeded by one of the few remaining shadow monsters. She scowled at its supposed impertinence, blasting it into oblivion with her magic.

"I could say the same thing for you." he replied back. The other man shot the final beast and the glade fell silent once again. Marik and his friends skidded to a stop, the gunslinger sheathing the handgun back into its place, a holster kept under his shirt.

"Well," the man said at last, revealing an accent that could only have come from Israel, "now that we've all been reacquainted with each other, would anybody care to explain what exactly is going on here?"

** And I have answered everybody's questions concerning when Marik and co. were going to meet Yugi and company. There you have it. Yeah. . .**

** But then I have created about fifty bajillion more questions. You're welcome.**

** Ah, Aaron, shooting Shadow monsters, LIKE A BOSS.**


	44. Chapter 44: Old and New

Chapter 44: Old and New

** Good news, I'm not dead! Because that's always a reason to celebrate, _clearly_. Anyway, I have decided to post my last chapter of my story on the date in which I published my first chapter, making the final date of publication October 10, 2013, two years after it was first published. Kind of cool, huh? :D**

"Aaron," Ishizu said simply to the man. "It's. . .it's been a while."

Aaron nodded. "Yes, it has been, hasn't it?"

It was painfully obviously that the two had shared some history. Kaiba scowled at this, watching their movements. He felt the twinge of an unfamiliar emotion, before forcibly locking it away and tossing the proverbial key. Ishizu turned her eyes to the young girl, who hovered behind Marik, eyes wide, clutching at her staff.

"And you must be Sivya Amin, the girl Marik told me about," Ishizu offered a hand. "I am Ishizu Ishtar, Marik's older sister." Sivya eyed the hand, then turning her eyes to Ishizu's blue ones. They looked wise, but sad, as if they had seen many hardships and trials that she did not wish to divulge. Yet, they were kind and warm. They reminded Sivya of Marik's eyes. She reached out at last, shaking Ishizu's hand. Ishizu pulled it away after a few moments, looking about. Marik's party was one person short, causing Ishizu's stomach to do an unpleasant flip. "And where is Odion?"

The three shifted about uncomfortably, until Marik broke down, throwing himself at his sister, sobbing uncontrollably. "Ishizu, I so sorry! I'm so sorry. . ."

"What happened?" she asked, fearful.

"I tried. . .I really did, but. . .It was the Orichalcos. He. . .he was saving me from it. . ."

She gasped, heart sinking. "Oh no. . ."

"I'm so sorry!" he moaned, weeping.

"We'll. . .we'll discuss this in details later. We'll bring him back Marik," she reassured him. "He isn't gone forever."

Meanwhile, Mai eyed Aaron suspiciously. She had seen him before, but where? Then it clicked. "Benjamin? Benjamin Navin?" She asked him. She had seen the man a handful of times at dueling tournaments. She had even dueled against him once or twice. A tricky opponent he was, his deck dedicated to keeping as many dragon monsters as he could on the field.

Aaron turned to her. "Ah, Ms. Valentine. How nice to see you in the middle of nowhere; however, I regret to inform you that Benjamin was never really my real name to begin with. It's actually Aaron, Aaron Levi." He spied Joey Wheeler behind her, frowning at him. "Oh, it would appear that I've upset your boyfriend. I apologize for that."

Mai's face went utterly blank before stammering, "My. .boyfriend?" She stopped, realizing that he had been referring to Joey. "Oh! He's. . he's not my boyfriend or anything like that! He's just a friend!"

"Oh, well, now I feel even worse now."

"Well, you should," she said, crossing her arms and fighting a losing battle with the blush on her cheeks."

Tea turned to Sivya. "Hello there, it's nice to meet you. I'm Tea Gardner. Sivya, was that what Ishizu said?"

Sivya nodded. "Yes, I'm Sivya."

"Good, I wanted to make sure I pronounced it right. Well, I should introduce you to the rest of the gang. That's Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Duke, Serenity—she's Joey's sister-, the blond is Mai, The other, shorter blond is Rebecca, Ryou is over there, and those two are the Kaiba brothers. The tall one with the frown is Seto Kaiba, and the one with the long dark hair is Mokuba, his younger brother."

"That's a lot of people," Sivya said.

"Yeah, it is, but they're all really nice, even if some of them are a little crazier than normal-"

"I take offense to that!" Joey protested.

"-_and_ some are a bit of prickly pear, like Seto Kaiba over there."

Yugi took a glance up at the sky, which had since darkened to night. The stars could be seen overhead, their view unobstructed by city lights. "We need to find a place to stay for the night and formulate the next step of our plan to get somewhat ahead of Midas."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The group had found a local hotel in Çanakkale, one that was relatively inexpensive, although Mokuba had offered to foot the bill much to Seto's protests, but offered a high enough quality for them. They divvied up the rooms according to gender and by drawing straws, to see who could actually get a room to themselves. They were situated in the hotel lobby sitting on some benches around a large table, the faint burbling of the hotel fountain in their ears. On the way there, they had filled Marik in on the current situation at hand, explaining everything from the Orichalcos influenced duels to Dartz's sudden arrival and the three swords.

"Now what?" Joey began.

"Simple: we go after the next sword before Midas does," Yugi said. His arm was freshly bandaged and sanitized, thanks to Serenity who had attended to it as soon as they arrived there.

"Which would either be the Sword of Justice or the Sword of Renewal, correct?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes, but from what Dartz said, the Sword of Justice is supposedly located in Atem's tomb and nobody knows where that is."

"Not even the Ishtars know," Marik admitted. "When the Ishtars fled from Egypt, they soon forgot the location of the tombs they had meant to protect. Eventually we located Seth's tomb when our ancestors returned from their self imposed exile, but Atem's had been permanently forgotten. No record exists of the location, for fear of discovering his true name and unlocking the power within. From what the stories say, there isn't even a single mention of his name anywhere in the tomb. I'm sorry we cannot help you there," he added sadly. Sivya reached out, squeezing his hand in a measure of comfort, earning an eyebrow raise from Mai, Tea and Serenity simultaneously. Rebecca had been too busy to notice, trying to conjure up a way to recover the stolen blade and to find the next one.

"So we'll have to go after the Blade of Renewal then; when the time comes, we'll find a way to go find the Sword of Justice. _And Atem's tomb_," Yugi thought sadly, knowing full well that he would have to come face to face with the person that had changed his life for good. "We'll have to rely on the Arthurian legends to find it."

Wait, let me get this straight," Marik interrupted. "Kaiba is the spiritual descendent of Odysseus, you're the spiritual descendent of Atem and Joey is the spiritual descendent of King Arthur, meaning that the _Odyssey _ and the legend of King Arthur are _real?_"

Joey nodded, clearly proud of this fact. "Yep. Cool huh?"

Marik cast a cool glance at Joey. "I'm not sure whether to be impressed or terrified of this revelation." Sivya hid a smile behind her hand, despite the severity of the situation.

"So, the Sword of Renewal then," Tristan said, leaning into the booth. "If I recall my stuff right, didn't that disappear with the death of King Arthur?"

"Well actually," Rebecca replied adjusting her glasses. "When King Arthur died, the sword was returned to the Lady of the Lake. It was a popular tradition of the Celtic people to place weapons, armor, and jewelry into bodies of water like streams and rivers, probably a funeral rite of some sort, more evidence that yes, King Arthur was Welsh."

"Not to be rude, Becky, but we can't just stick our head into every body of water saying, "Hello? Got a magical sword somewhere in there?" Not exactly the most efficient and brilliant of plans." Duke said, gesturing. When they all shot him a look, he added quietly, "Just saying."

"I was getting there," she replied, sniffing. "My grandpa has a lot of friends in the archeology field, a handful of them who study Arthurian myth. In fact, one of them lives in London, working at one of the universities there, I can't remember which one. He has a daughter that studies it as well. I bet we could ask them for help."

"Oh yes, and tell them we're looking for a mythical sword?"

"Stranger things have happened before," Mai said.

"Exactly. Since Kaiba has a pilot's license, we can "borrow" Midas' private jet again and fly to England," Yugi added.

"What makes you think?-" Seto began but his protests were silenced by a withering stare from his brother. He was quiet for a moment or two, before saying, "I have a better idea." He reached into his phone and dialed a number that he knew by heart.

_"Hello?" _It was Roland.

"Good, you're awake," Seto said. "I need you to prep a KaibaCorp jet and fly it to London International Airport right away."

There was a pause on the other line. _". . .Alright. . .sir. May I ask what for?"_

"Just think of it as the usual when dealing with Yugi Muto and the gang."

_"I see then sir. I shall have it prepared for flight right away."_

"I will see you shortly."

"Wait," Yugi interrupted, just before he hung up. "I need a favor as well."

Kaiba scowled. "What is it?"

"Can he stop by my grandfather's place before he leaves for London?"

"Why?"

"Because, if we're dealing with the Orichalcos, which we are, the only thing that can defeat them are the god cards."

"Which your grandfather possesses."

"Exactly." Kaiba eyed the phone. "Fine." He diverted his attention back to the cell. "Roland, before you leave, go to the Kame Game Shop and pick up the Egyptian God cards." He hung up.

"Why don't you keep them on you?" Mai asked.

"Because if I did, then the chances of being mugged, beat up, robbed and so on would increase exponentially and sadly, I do not have an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh ready to beat up bullies," Yugi joked, but the remark was strained and tense. He dialed his cell phone, waiting impatiently as the other line rang.

_"Yugi, what are you doing, calling at this hour?. . .Is everything okay?"_ his grandfather asked suddenly in a panic.

Yugi shook his head. "Everything is fine Grandpa, well, except for the whole villains trying taking over the world spiel," he added offhandedly before his grandfather could protest. "Listen, I need you to get me something."

_"The Egyptian God cards, correct?"_

". . .Wait, how did you guess?-"

_"When you call at four, almost five in the morning and casually mention villains taking over the world, I can only assume it involves the supernatural and you need the cards."_

"Oh."

_"And how am I supposed to get them to you?"_

"One of Kaiba's employees, Roland, will be by there. Hand the safe box to him."

_"Will he have KaibaCorp ID?"_

"Why would be not?"

_"Just checking, before I hand off powerful cards to a stranger."_

"I see. Well. . ." Yugi paused, wondering what he should say. "I hope to see you soon."

_"I hope so as well. And please, Yugi, please be safe, whatever it is you're doing, saving the world."_

"I will, I promise."

_"You better. . .I love you Yugi."_

"Love you too Gramps." When he silenced his cell phone, Yugi remarked, "It's amazing how casual he is about me cavorting about, saving the world."

"Probably because it is old hat to us," Joey explained. "So what's the plan?"

"We'll fly out in the morning to London international Airport. Rebecca will get a hold of her grandfather's colleague and they could help us pin down a general location for the Sword of Renewal-"

"I can do that tonight, since we're only a couple of hours ahead of them; it shouldn't be too late for them."

"-Then we'll formulate the next stage from there, finding the Sword of Justice and getting the Sword of Wisdom back from Midas somehow."

"Sound's like a plan to me Yuge'," Joey agreed. "I say we better get something to eat and some shuteye before we go kick Midas' butt tomorrow."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

He sat on the edge of the bed with Ishizu, both of them silent, each in their own thoughts. Marik had spilled everything to her, including the pilfering of one of the stones the very first night of their discovery, leading to a chain of events unforeseen by either of them. "So. . .," Marik said at last, coughing.

"You cannot blame yourself for everything," Ishizu told him softly. "Yes, while you did take that one stone, causing a domino effect, you did not realize the full ramifications of the stone's power and influence at the time. Once you did however, you tried to rid yourself of it, but the stone was clearly guided by a more malevolent presence and you could not fight it until it came to a head. When it did, you fought it and won."

"Yes, but at the cost of Odion's soul," he reminded her.

"Which is not permanent," she countered firmly. "From what I could gather, the Orichalcos functions as a Shadow Game. We can save him Marik. Since Tshilaba and Midas are connected, to defeat the source of the Orichalcos would mean the salvation of his soul, as well as the souls that were taken during the tourney."

"It still does not take the pain away," he said sadly, gazing out the window of the hotel room, which opened out to the city.

"I know Marik," she told him softly, reaching out with an arm, bringing him closer to her. He sat there, head on her shoulder, quiet; he already had cried all the tears he could at the hospital. After a few minutes, he pulled away from her.

"Ishizu, what about the scrolls?"

"The scrolls?" When her eyes caught the box containing the pair of them, she said, "Ah, yes." She eased herself off the bed, picking up the box. She went back, opening the lid. She placed the box across her lap, unrolling one of the scrolls and began reading the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics as if they were a mere novel. Marik took the second one, eager to take his mind off of the situation on hand. A half hour went by, the crinkle of the papyrus the only sound in the room.

At last, Ishizu said something. "This is interesting," she remarked.

"What is?"

"This scroll was from the reign of Pharaoh Atem. It is essentially a biography of his life, with all mentions of his name removed from the records, but its obviously there, judging by these pictures." She pointed to the inked pictographs of the Pharaoh sitting on a throne, clad in traditional garb, bearing the crook and flail and wearing the Double Crown of Egypt.

"How come we did not know of this much earlier, I wonder?" Marik asked her.

"I suspect that because we were never looking for it in the first place, we did not give it a second glance, shamefully."

"Pity."

Ishizu continued scanning it before adding. "From what it says here, a man clad in ancient robes and bearing a box came to the Pharaoh's palace, offering said box as a gift. The Pharaoh took it, but did not open or deal with the contents inside, due to the ominous warnings of the Millennium Court. Not even the recorder knows what was inside it. The box looks like the one you had found and the man looks very much like the man Dartz."

"Too much of a coincidence, considering," Marik remarked.

"It does not mention anything about the Swords of Justice, Wisdom and Renewal specifically, but it does say here," she pointed shortly after Marik's comment, "that the Pharaoh had once wielded a blade into battle, one that was long and straight, with a gleaming blue-green glow to it, like holy fire sent down from the gods. It is not mentioned again, but I suspect it was buried with him."

"In a tomb that we have no idea where it is."

"Indeed. But if you recall, the Clan Heads have always suspected that the tomb is in the Valley of The Kings, thanks to records by proxy, making it one of the earliest tombs there, probably since the Hyskos were in Lower Egypt at the time, making it difficult to bury him in the traditional place."

"But the Valley of the Kings is immense," Marik said. "How are we to even begin looking for the tomb?"

"We'll have to wait and see what fate decides to bring to us," she told him. "It is getting late however, and you should be getting rest for tomorrow. I will continue to go through the scrolls, to discern a solution."

Marik nodded, getting up and giving his sister a half-bow. "Good night Ishizu, I will see you in the morning."

"Yes, good night."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"So kiddo, tell us a little about yourself," Mai began, eying Sivya as a television host would eye a celebrity guest. The girls had split up into two hotel rooms, with a door in between allowing for easy movement between the two rooms; Ishizu had laid claim to her own personal hotel room, offering to pay for it herself so she was not in their company tonight. They had taken to Sivya with a mixture of curiosity and friendliness, grateful for another girl in their company. Talking to her was a nice reprieve from the current situation at hand. Clearly, she had a drastically different world view than theirs.

Sivya fiddled with the coins on her sash, unsure what to say. For most of her life, she had lived in a small family unit, occasionally meeting with a tourist or the Bedouin. The most people she had been around was her extended family at her mother's funeral. She was not used to large groups of people; she wasn't even used to talking to girls of her age. "Well I. . ."

"Don't jump on her like freaking Oprah," Tea said to Mai. "Give her space."

"Well, I was a shepherd," she told them at last. "I used to herd goats."

"No family?"

"I used to have family. My mother died when I was thirteen, then my father when I was seventeen. My brothers left for Cairo shortly after to find careers and a better life for us."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Serenity said. "My parents are divorced."

"It's fine," Sivya said softly. "They are at peace and in Heaven and they wouldn't want me to be sad."

"I guess that's one way of looking at it," Serenity mused as Sivya nodded.

"When did you meet Marik then?" Mai pressed.

"Mai!" Tea protested.

"I'm not being rude! I'm being nice," Mai defended.

"I met him while I was herding goats," Sivya replied, clearly undeterred by Mai's increasingly personal line of question. "He fell off his camel," she said, smiling at the memory. "He always said that camel didn't like him."

Mai started to ask another question, but not before Tea reached over, clamping a hand over her mouth. "Don't you even. . ."she warned her.

Unfortunately, Rebecca beat Mai to the punch. "Do you like him?" she asked, as if they were at a slumber party and they had been exchanging gossip and secrets.

"Like him?" she asked, genuinely confused at the question. "Well he is my friend, so of course I like him."

"Um, she meant _like_ liking him," Serenity began, hoping to clear up confusion. Sadly, it did not.

"Don't use such juvenile language," Mai teased, nudging Serenity in the shoulder. Mai, who had been sitting on the bed with Tea, turned her attention back to the girl. "She means if you have any romantic inclinations for him."

"I. . .um. . ." she stammered, her face turning a shade of red that would have made a tomato proud, making her already dark complexion even darker.

"That settles it," Rebecca muttered.

Tea sighed, noticing the poor girl beginning to be overwhelmed. It was obvious that she was quite shy. So, she decided to rescue her from the situation. "What about you guys? I mean, if we can ask Sivya these questions, then _surely_ the rest of you are fair game." She elbowed Mai in the side, winking for emphasis.

"Then that means you're fair game as well, Ms.-I-Have-Unresolved-Sexual-Tension-With-Yugi," Mai grinned wickedly.

"That I am," Tea replied evenly, crossing her arms.

Serenity caught the gist of Tea's remark and took a pointed glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand next to the bed. "Well, before this devolves into a "who can make whom more embarrassed" contest, we should go to bed before it gets too late and we turn into zombies. I for one, don't want to be a zombie."

"Good point," Tea agreed, grateful for Serenity's tact. They took it as a sign to depart and reluctantly made their way to their respective rooms. Tea managed to steer Sivya aside.

"Sorry Mai had to open her big mouth and embarrass you," she apologized. "Mai can be well, painfully blunt and forward, but she means it in sort of a motherly, big sis sort of way. She isn't trying to hurt your feelings or anything."

"That is alright," Sivya replied. "I know she didn't mean it in a hurtful way. I'm not very good with a lot of people yet, so that's my fault."

"Don't blame yourself kiddo," It was Mai, entering in the room. At Tea's pointed look, she explained, "I share the room with you, remember?" Then, at Sivya, "You'll get used to the crazy shenanigans we managed to get into."

"And Mai's brusque nature," Tea added.

"Pshaw," Mai dismissively waved a hand. "When this is all over, I am going to take you on a trip about town like no one has ever seen."

"You mean in Domino City?" Sivya asked. "Marik's told me about Domino City before. He says it's big and noisy, but really fun."

"He nailed it on the head. I'm going to take you shopping, get mani's and pedi's, do girl stuff..."

"Quick get out of here before you never hear the end of it," Tea teased, pushing Sivya through the door between rooms. Tea shut the door behind her, shooting Mai a look. "Not even a day and you're already trying to corrupt the poor girl," she joked, sitting on the bed.

"It's not corruption," Mai insisted teasingly. She sat alongside Tea and shot a look at the door. "Besides, I didn't corrupt Serenity."

"That's because Serenity didn't need "corruption". She was pretty much enamored the millisecond she met you. You were her role model for the longest time. You probably still are."

"I'm flattered really. Serenity's grown up to be her own person though," Mai added absently, something springing to mind. "Tea?" she asked softly.

"What is it?"

"Did you. . .did you ever tell Serenity about the whole Orichalcos thing?"

Tea shook her head. "No I did not. I figured that it was your place to tell her, not mine."

"Oh." Mai slumped in relief. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not telling."

"Friends don't do that sort of thing to their friends," Tea explained, smiling. Mai smiled back, feeling more relieved than ever. Because of her roving nature and years of being alone, Mai was still unused to the prospects of friendship, especially one that was given so freely as Tea's.

"Now it's my turn," Tea said.

"For what?"

"A question. Something popped in my head when you asked that, something that I think should have done a long time ago."

"What is it?" Mai asked uneasily.

"Did Joey ever tell you what happened, during his duel with Marik?"

"No, he didn't. I never even thought of asking him, honestly. Although," Mai paused. "I wonder that if he did, maybe. . ."

"You can't change the past. We don't even know if Joey telling you would have changed anything."

"I guess you're right, but still. . .Tea, why did you ask such a thing?"

Tea shrugged. "I don't honestly. It just sprang to mind. I guess I figured that you two had shared experiences. . .kindred souls, in a weird way. Maybe you two could have helped each other. I know that Joey suffered from a lot of nightmares after that duel, or so he told me."

"Nightmares? What kind of nightmares?"

Tea hesitated. "I'm not sure is I should tell you or not. . .I mean, he never even told Yugi. . ."

"Tell me." She insisted. "Tea, he's my friend too and. . ." Mai stopped suddenly, a dam to stop her cascading thoughts. "Maybe I can help him, like you said. And don't give me that crap about friends not doing that sort of things to their friends," she said, changing her thoughts before she accidentally revealed something that could be interpreted the wrong way.

Tea mulled it over, not knowing what this information would do. It could be a catalyst for a myriad of events, some of which could be good. It was obvious that the pair had some healing to do, maybe she could help. "Only if you don't breathe a word of this."

"Promise."

"Okay. Well, the duel was pretty messed up in the beginning. Marik set up this Shadow game in which the duelists were "connected" to their duel monsters. When the monsters were destroyed or lost strength, then duelist would lose their strength too. It was really painful for Joey. By the end of the duel, he could barely stand, but he kept fighting.

"Then Marik summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra. He pulled some cockamamie ability in which it was indestructible and could destroy everything on the field with one blast, but it only lasted for a single turn. But it was all he needed."

"Joey was hit directly," Mai said, saying what Tea could not.

Tea nodded. "It was the most painful thing we had ever seen, his screams in our ears. He was still standing when Ra left the field. He almost did it, winning, but in the end, it was too much and he collapsed without ever calling the final attack.

"That's what his nightmares were about, of that final attack and not, and of not being able. . ."

"Of not being able to win the duel," Mai finished.

"Exactly."

"But why didn't he say anything?" Mai wondered.

"Because he's a guy and guys do that sort of thing. It took weeks of asking to make sure he was okay. As I said, he didn't even tell Yugi or Tristan. He didn't want them to worry."

"Idiot," Mai grumbled. Then, she said in a softer, quieter tone, "Such an idiot."

Tea pretended not to hear her, knowing full well what Mai was implying. She glanced at the alarm clock. "It's getting late." Tea stood up to crawl under the sheets of her own bed. "And I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Night."

Tea shut off the lamp, enveloping the room in darkness, leaving Mai with her thoughts as she too, laid down. She couldn't fall asleep though, staring at the shadowy ceiling as she pondered over that Tea had told her. Mai had never been alone in her ordeal, but she was too self centered to realize it at the time. She was consumed with guilt as she thought this, wondering what could have been if she had asked him. So much would have changed, she told herself mentally. So much.

"He's not the idiot," she said quietly, so quietly that not even Tea could overhear.

"I am."

**And in other news, Mai is adopting Sivya, with Tea attempting to prevent this. Lolololol It will definitely be adorable and simultaneously awkward as Sivya gets used to the fact that she has a gaggle of gal pals now with pretty much all of them wanting to know more about poor Sivya's supposed "love life" :D. That or it's because they're surprised that Marik's **_**not**_** gay or something like that with Sivya always being with him. Wanna bet that at some point they were wondering that? Poor Marik, he doesn't get any respect around here. *offers Marik a hug***

** Yep, Mai knows Aaron from the dueling circuit, but nothing more than acquaintances, although Vivian **_**tried**_** setting them up on a coffee date once, but it didn't pan out, mostly because Aaron doesn't really drink coffee and Mai was/is pining away for Joey at this point (ask her about it and she will **_**vehemently**_** deny this however) **


	45. Chapter 45: To be a God

Chapter 45: To be a God

He paid little attention to the landscape going by him as the plane flew over the Mediterranean instead, Midas focused on his hand, the one that had made contact with the hilt of the blade. The blisters were still there in a sea of red flesh. A couple of the blisters had already popped, leaking ooze. The wound itself, while not as painful as it had been originally earlier, was deemed offensive in his eyes. The Orichalcos, while commonly viewed as a parasitic magic, could actually be beneficial, using the souls ensnared by it to expedite the healing process; however, it would seem that the Orichalcos could not be applied to the magically induced wound, as if the wound itself was taunting him.

The sword itself was squirreled away in a hidden compartment on the plane, firmly wrapped in layers of jackets and fabrics; the sword leaving burn holes in the first few layers of the fabric. It was clear that only the true heir could wield the blade without fear of injury and Midas was firmly _not_ the heir it needed, evidenced by the wound.

He frowned at the offending wound, reaching for a white glove. He slid it over the wound, flinching as it chafed against the open blisters and the raw skin underneath. It had been literally decades since he had last been injured—when he had been shot by SS soldiers in the forests of Germany; needless to say the soldiers did not survive the encounter—so this pain as a relatively new experience for him. He flexed the wounded hand, to make sure, then gingerly placing it on the arm of his seat. He reached for his cell phone, dialing a number. None of the cell phones he used were traceable; he had made sure of that.

_"Hello?" _It was a woman, with a definitive British accent.

"Hello there," Midas began smoothly.

_"Master Midas,"_ she apologized profusely. _"I apologize, I did not know you were calling."_

Midas dismissed the apologies with a hand. "Do not fret," he assured her, "I am calling to make some future plans."

_"Like what, Master Midas?"_

"I have recovered the first blade, the Sword of Wisdom. Unfortunately, finding the next two will be somewhat more difficult, since the records are either completely missing, thanks to Tabitha's folly, or shrouded in myth and legend, with no definite theme. So, I will let my enemies find it for me."

_"What are you suggesting, sir?"_

"I will be landing in London in a short while and I will meet you, handing off the Sword of Wisdom to you. We will use it a bait, to ensnare the Sword of Renewal and to eliminate our enemies with a single stroke. I will grant you the authority and power to invoke the Beasts of the Orichalcos should you need them. In the end, we will have two blades and the souls of our enemies wiped away by the Orichalcos."

_"I see then. How will I lure our enemies sir?"_

Midas chuckled darkly, leaning into his seat. "I will leave that up to you. What fun would it be if I dictated every little detail?"

_"And you, sir?"_

"After I deliver the Sword of Wisdom to you, I will be flying off to Alexandria and the library. I will need to research and iron out the final plans for Atlantis' resurrection. Should the Imhotep prove loyal and willing, I will have access to it within a day or two."

_"I see then."_

"Good, good. You were always one of my better soldiers. Tabitha, while excellent and ruthless, was guided and led on by her desires for vengeance and recompense, both ideals which proved to be her ultimate downfall. Shame she had been idiotic enough to leave the scrolls in her hotel room while delivering the stones to me." He paused, gloating over his soon to be victory. "You know what to do?"

_"Yes, Master Midas."_

"Good. I will see you soon." He hung up curtly, before dialing a second number. As the dial tone droned on, he told himself, "So many arrangements, so little time. One would think that it would take very little preparation for the end of the world, but it is quite an orchestration." He felt a sudden chill in the plane as the atmosphere changed drastically. The cabin of the plane took on a darker aspect, the artificial lighting looking like nothing more than dim pinpricks of light in the overwhelming shadows. Midas straightened himself up, as if bracing himself.

The shadows, and the monster dwelling within, interfered minimally with his affairs, entrusting him to go through with their grand machinations. He had encountered them only two times throughout the entire tourney, the first time on the yacht on the eve of the tourney, the second was towards the end, when he had to shepherd a wayward pawn back into their place. This would be the third.

The cabin seemed cavernous and devoid of life as Midas said to the shadows, "I am doing all that you ask of me. I cannot make it go any faster than I can. These things take time. . .you have waited ten thousand years and endured catastrophic failures. Surely, you can wait a little longer."

There was a pause as the temperature dropped a a gust of wind blew through the cabin, sliding across his skin, eliciting goosebumps wherever it touched. Then, for the first time since Midas had made his deal, the shadows spoke. _"Yesssssss, I havvve been waitinggggg, for a verrrrry long time indeeeed." _The shadow's voice brought to mind serpents, their tongues flickering in and out. The tone and cadence was like black silk sliding across obsidian, filled with a darkness most minds cannot comprehend and a power that note even the sturdiest could handle before going mad. Sickingly sweet and sibilant. _"You willll ressssurect the ccccity," _it snarled in his head, causing a pang of pain flaring through his temples. Midas' wounded hand clenched the arm of the seat, ignoring the screaming pain of the burnt and blistered skin as the shadow's voice ripped through his mind, like shearing fabric.

The shadows have never spoken to him directly, communicating with him through impressions, using mental images and emotions to convey its ideas, never actually vocabulary, granted it was known to make inhuman sounds. "I know," Midas said at last, daring to defy the amorphous form enveloping him. The ring with the Orichalcos fragment mounted within flared to life, the green light temporarily banishing the darkness and causing the beast to withdraw back.

_"Dooo noooot usssse my own pooower againsssst me!"_ it screeched as through wounded and Midas gasped as the pain increased tenfold. _"I am youuur masssster!"_

"Then give. . .me. . .the time!" Midas cried out, the shadows sapping his strength. He had never defied the beast before, mostly because there was no need to; Midas went about his business like a dutiful and faithful soldier and the shadows paid him no heed for most of the time, only nudging him here or there, guiding their servant to the final goal. The shadows were growing restless, Midas thought to himself. That was why they were so insistent, interceding more and more frequently this past week. They wanted to be free, just as much, maybe more, than Midas desiring mortality, to be free of the shackles clamped on his wrist that had been placed there by a vengeful god. "I will do it," he gasped, summoning every last ounce of fortitude to stave the monster away from his sanity.

The shadows seemed to hover there, as if contemplating Midas' assurance, before deeming it acceptable, withdrawing suddenly from his mind and Midas could suddenly think clearly once more.

_"You willl, or I willll obliterate yooour ssssoul from thisssss very plane offff exissstence. You will beggggg for merccccy but I willll not givvve it to you, insssstead dessstroyyying your bodyyy, but controlllling your ssssoul for eternityyyy. I willl not be denied my vvvvictory!"_

Midas shuddered at the threat, knowing full well what the creature. He would deny him mortality, turning him into nothing more than an incorporeal plaything of an eldritch abomination. "You will not be denied your victory," he said.

_"Gooooood. I ssshalll be waitinggggg."_

The cabin brightened once more, the temperature heating up, but Midas could not shake the cold that seemed to have a hold on his soul. He steeled himself, in an attempt to banish the shadows that have plagued his soul. When he felt up to it, he went back to the cell phone at hand, holding it to his ear. The phone was still ringing, picking off where he had left off before the shadows came. It was as if time had stopped, if only for a few minutes, eternity taking place on such a small scale. Truly the beast was a more formidable foe than expected.

Someone picked up on the other end. _"Hello?. . ."_ the man on the other end was hesitant, unsure and speaking in an Egyptian accent.

"Yes, is the Imhotep around?" Midas asked, his voice falsely cheerful, a veneer of deceitful mirth.

The other end fell silent for a moment, before speaking. _"It's you again, isn't it?" _He sounded angry with Midas and the masked man deduced that it was probably because of the last conversation with the Imhotep.

"What intelligent reasoning," Midas sneered, imagining the man bristling on the other end of the phone. "Now give me the Imhotep," he demanded.

_"And why should I?"_

Midas sighed, as if dealing with a child. "Because, if you don't," he began, raising a hand, contorting it into a claw like shape, "you will most assuredly regret it." There was a poignant silence on the other end, until the man started to hack and cough, his lungs struggling to fill with oxygen; Midas was using his magic to choke the man while being hundreds of miles away. Midas slowly relaxed his magical grip and the man's coughing and gasping ceased as he was able to breathe properly once more. "If I can kill you while sitting in an airplane hundreds of miles away, imagine what I can do once I meet you face to face," he remarked casually, eying his fingernails.

_"I will get him for you right away,"_ the man said at last, his voice raspy and full of defeat. Midas settled back into the seat, hoping to banish the previous conversation from his mind. It was only a couple of minutes later when the voice of the Imhotep came on the line.

_"Ah Midas, we meet again," _the Imhotep greeted, his voice like Midas, filled with fraudulent cheer. His voice rapidly dropped to a more menacing tone, _"I do not appreciate you making an attempt to kill my fellow clansmen."_

"I was only making a point," Midas argued. "He was being rude. Besides, if I recall, you did not have an issue with one of my soldiers breaking into the ancestral home of the Ishtar clan and robbing valuable scrolls and treasures so it appears to me that you have little regard for your "clansmen"."

Midas could practically picture the Imhotep's bald pate flushing a blotched violet with rage. _"Do not dictate how I should handle my affairs. You were the one to put me up to it."_

"I offered it. You went with it."

_". . .What do you want from me?"_

"Recall the last conversation we had?"

_"The one where you nearly killed me?" _The Imhotep sneered. _"Of course, how could I not?"_

"Good. I will be flying into Egypt, specifically Alexandria, in a matter of a day or two. I need you to personally escort me to the ancient Library of Alexandria, and _not_ the public one."

_"I have already agreed to this. Why must you remind me of my violation of the Tombkeeper's creed?"_

Midas flashed a smile that would have made a serpent proud. "Because I enjoy it, obviously."

_"Clearly. And may I ask why you are in such need to access the world's most ancient library?"_

"I am looking for spells."

_"And what spells would that be?"_

"None of your business."

_"It _is_ my business, as a matter of fact."_

"Honorable Imhotep, do not bicker with me, I have no desire to kill what very few allies I need. What spells I am seeking should not matter to you. You should be even grateful that I am asking permission-"

_"More like demanding,"_ the Imhotep interjected.

Midas cleared his throat and continued. "-As I was saying, you should be grateful that I am even asking for your permission to access the Library. I could have merely waltzed into the Library, killing all that stood in my way if only for the kicks and giggles."

_"No foreigner knows where the true location of the Library of Alexandria is,"_ the Imhotep gloated. _"So that little endeavor would have failed instantly."_

"I do."

Midas chuckled and the Imhotep trailed off, his gloating and boastful presumptions melting away like snow at the onset of spring. _"But. . .but how?"_

"Because I have been there many times in my youth in fact."

"_I would have known if you had."_

"Only if you were around three thousand years old."

The Imhotep tried to formulate a proper response but it seemed that every time he started to speak, he would falter, sentences half formed on his tongue. He finally managed to string together an acceptable response. _"Tell me, are you Set? Or Apep reborn in a mortal skin, to sow chaos and destruction wherever you went?"_

"I would think you would know if I were a god or not, but no, I am not. I was cursed, cursed a very long time ago, but now is not the time to discuss such petty topics. I will be flying in and I expect a welcome from you personally."

The Imhotep seemed skeptical at Midas' comments, unsure as to whether to believe his remarks. They seemed truthful enough, but then again, Midas was not a man to be trifled with, his words to be taken with a grain of salt. He was mistrustful, but he would find out the truth when Midas landed. _"Very well. I will meet you at the Alexandria Airport."_

"Good." Midas hung up.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

In the deep, dank chamber he called his "office", the Imhotep sat in the cedar wood chair that was the traditional seat of the Imhoteps, past and future. It was of cedar, built in the style of the chairs found in the Pharaoh tombs in the Valley of the Kings. A falcon was carved into the back of the chair, with pieces of enamel, fiance and semi precious stones inlaid into it. Gold leaf covered the rest of it. The Imhotep gazed at the phone in hand, wondering what kinds of powers he was dealing with it, bickering and bartering with Midas, the man with the golden mask. He had only met the man a handful of times before; the rest of time was on the phone like just now. Midas reminded the Imhotep of an asp or a cobra, full of preening and posture, until he struck with deadly force. It was obvious that Midas was talented in the arcane arts, considering that he had nearly killed him over the phone. Likewise with his clansman just now.

Midas was a deadly, deadly man to deal with it.

And now he was making claims of immortality, saying that he had visited the Library during its heyday. The Imhotep was disbelieving of the claim. To have access to the Library would mean that you are a member of the Tombkeeper clans, in these modern times, or that you had once been a scribe or priest of Ancient Egypt. For Midas to make a claim such as this would mean that he was once a Tombkeeper—and there was no such case of a missing Tombkeeper save for the Ishtar fiasco—or he was once a priest or scribe in Ancient Egypt, which would explain the supposed age of three thousand years old, but it was more than likely that he was bluffing.

_But_, if had nearly killed him over the mere phone, then what other powers could the man possess? Could he really be immortal, or as the Imhotep feared, Set or Apep in the mortal flesh? Either scenario would prove very disastrous indeed.

He mulled his options over, when he spotted something resting on the small table to the right of his seat. He reached over, picking it up. It was a dagger in the shape and style of the ancient weapons the priests wielded. The blade itself was just short of a foot long and broad, two inches across, made of thickly forged bronze. The hilt was wrapped in leather—clearly replaced—and the pommel was of gold studded with carnelians in the shape of a papyrus leaf, shaped like the blade of a pendulum. An beautiful and terrible weapon, used for many traditional ceremonies and duties of the Imhotep.

As he gazed upon the beauty of the weapon, a plan formed in his mind. A plan to prove the supposed immortality of Midas. If he truly was immortal, then he would survive.

If not, well. . .he would have no more Midas to deal with.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He awaited for the man's arrival at the airport patiently, his face the epitome of equanimity and calm, like the heart of a storm. He was dressed in a crisp, tailored suit, his bald pate practically gleaming in the afternoon sun. It was always quite hot in Egypt, even more so in the summer. Thankfully, the ocean breezes from the ocean would flow through the streets, cooling the city down somewhat. The Imhotep eyed Midas as the man made his way down the stairs, cane in hand. The golden mask looked to be as ageless as ever, as did the man. Midas wore a robin's egg blue button down shirt and a pair of khaki pants, deciding to not wear the suits he normally would.

The Imhotep could not blame him for that. It was quite hot today.

"Ah, and so the Imhotep greets me," Midas crowed, his hands outstretched wide as he made his way across the tarmac. "It has been so long since we last met face to face."

"Agreed," the Imhotep replied, plastering on a fake smile. The hilt of the dagger was pressing against his chest, a perpetual reminder of his plan. "It has been a while."

Midas took a look around, those eerie green eyes taking in everything. The Imhotep wondered if he could see the ancient dagger but dismissed the preposterous claims. Midas could use magic yes, _heka_, but no man could be ever truly powerful, since magic was tied into the life force of a man. To overreach with some grand spell would be suicidal. "I see that you are the only one here," he said, almost disapprovingly, testing the Imhotep.

"I have a driver in a limousine, but I was under the assumption that you would wish to talk to me alone."

Midas mulled this over before nodding. "Good good. I hate eavesdroppers. I've had to deal with one a time or two in my life."

"Your life. . ." The Imhotep began to lead Midas off the runway and to the limo that was waiting for them. "Tell me, are you truly three thousand years old?" he asked casually.

Midas cocked his head. "You do not believe me?"

"No man is ever truly immortal, not even the gods are immune to the passing of time. I suspect that this is a ploy."

"I see. . .but to tell the truth," Midas paused for grand effect. "I truly am immortal. I was cursed by the very gods that have faded to dust while I live on. Ironic, no?" He seemed to take great pleasure in that realization.

The Imhotep frowned. "I do not believe you."

"Pity."

Then, the Imhotep's hand went to the jacket pocket where the dagger was stashed away. "Excuse me, it would appear that someone is calling me." He reached into the pocket, his hands curling about the dagger's hilt. In a blur of movement, the Imhotep jerked out the dagger, spun about to impale the dagger deep into Midas' torso, around the man's heart. The dagger nearly went up to its hilt from the force of the blow. The Imhotep, heart racing, waited to see what would happen next.

Midas looked down at the weapon protruding from his chest, offended at the knife there. He tugged the dagger out slowly, watching the blood drip slowly from the hilt. The shirt was now stained by his blood. "It would appear that you don't believe me." He dropped the knife, where it clattered to the earth. In a fluid motion, his hand ripped the shirt away, popping off buttons and with the other hand, snatched the Imhotep's tie, yanking the man forward.

"Look you imbecile," Midas hissed, directing the man's eyes to the wound. "Look!" he snarled. The Imhotep's eyes rounded as he watched. The wound, which would have killed the ordinary man, was slowly repairing itself, the gaping hole knitting itself closed, until there was nothing more than a faint white line in the sea of drying blood. He jerked the Imhotep until their faces were inches from each other. "See?"

In disgust, Midas flung the man away, where he stumbled and fell upon the tarmac, a sheen of sweat on his face, the normally dark complexion pale with fear. Midas took a step forward, his foot stomping on the bronze blade of the ceremonial dagger. The force of the blow shattered the brittle blade, aged from thousands of years. The Imhotep crawled to the remains, the broken pieces of bronze gleaming in the sun, an ironic symbol.

"I _am_ immortal," Midas roared, pointing. "I possess power that would make the mere man go insane from comprehending even a grain of sand in the desert of knowledge. I am a god, and you, you are nothing more than a mere worm, forced to live and die in the abominable, god-forsaken desert, while I transcend to heights the go beyond where not even the highest eagles will dare to go. Do not trifle with me, _Imhotep_," he spat as if it disgusted him to even _say_ the title. "For I can take away that power, and life from you as easy as I draw breath."

"Please, please don't kill me. . .," the Imhotep sobbed. "I had to do it. . .Please, don't. . .don't hurt me!"

Midas's lips curled in revulsion at the sight. "Oh, get up you miserable piece of flesh. I'm not going to kill you. Not yet, possibly. Besides, who else will I force to pay for a new shirt?" Midas plucked at the stained and ripped shirt. He walked by, picking up his cane, which he had dropped. "Come," he commanded. "I have work to do."

The Imhotep nodded, his heart breaking over the remains of the dagger. Thousands of years, destroyed within the blink of an eye, a singular heartbeat. He scrambled to pick up the slivers of the dagger, oblivious to the blood that stained it. He tenderly placed them back into the pocket from whence they came, before straightening himself up and scrambling to keep pace with the man who was Set incarnate.

** Just a little taste of what Midas actually is. Is he a god, one of the ancient ones to rule over Kemet, or even older than they? Was he a mortal, like he once claimed a time or two, cursed for some unspeakable crime. Only I know, mwahahaha. . .**

** Conspiracy theories in three. . .two. . .one. . .and GO!**

** Sigh. . .I am a terrible author, jerking you about like this. . .**


	46. Chapter 46: Restoration of Faith

Chapter 46: Restoration of Faith

Seto sat at the controls of the jet, the actions of piloting the plane coming to be second nature to him, after his many years of piloting KaibaCorp jets and his own, personally designed Blue Eyes White Jet. Mokuba sat in the copilot's seat next to him, keeping an eye on Seto. While Mokuba was not a licensed pilot—he was too young and Seto was perhaps too overprotective—he was more than capable of taking the controls should something befell his brother.

Mokuba finally spoke. "You're jealous."

Seto's stony faced countenance fell for only a beat before he straightened himself out again, clearly surprised at his brother's forwardness. "Jealous of what?"

"Aaron. I saw the look you had when Aaron saw Ishizu. You looked like the green eyed monster."

"What would I be jealous of?" he snorted.

"Well, he is a Mossad agent who runs around the world beating up the bad guys, literally."

"And I am a Fortune 500 CEO who is also a philanthropist, giving away thousands to charities and establishing many scholarships. Power obtained down the barrel of a gun is nowhere near as powerful as power gained through knowledge," Kaiba said, sneering slightly.

"I think you see him as competition," Mokuba said, confident in his arguments.

"For what?"

"For Ishizu's affections, of course."

"You're being irrational, Mokuba."

"Am not. Besides, I don't think they have any feelings for each other, anymore at least."

"And pray tell, what evidence is there for you to leap to such a conclusion?"

"Well, as someone who has been around girls more, and dated a few, I know what happens when you meet up with someone after you break up with them, or when you meet someone you like but nothing ever happened between you two. You pretty much cross over to the Land of Awkwardness."

"Hmmm." Kaiba kept his eyes straight ahead, watching the winds and the air currents, trying oh so very hard to not think about the topic at hand.

"So, I think that you don't have to worry about Aaron swiping away Ishizu from you," he ribbed jokingly.

"Mokuba, get me a mug of coffee please," Seto shut down the entire conversation with a singular curt sentence, expressing a desire to no longer continue the discussion.

"So long as you don't have a caffeine crash like that one time."

"That was one time."

"Seto, you practically had like, two batches of coffee in a twenty-four hour stretch. I found you drooling on the laptop, nearly comatose."

"I would appreciate it if you don't mention that in front of them."

"I won't." Mokuba threw his brother a mischievous grin, jogging out the cockpit to fetch him a cup of coffee.

When the place fell silent, Seto told himself, "I'm not jealous. What do I have to be jealous of?"

Somehow, he didn't believe his own words.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

To say that the London International Airport was a vast understatement. The fact that they were able to make their way without accidentally leaving behind one of their shorter companions, mainly Yugi and Rebecca was a miracle in itself. Of course, even if they did lose track of their friend, it would not have been overly difficult to find him again, thanks to his hair.

Rebecca's friend, the daughter of her grandfather's colleague, was waiting for them in the visitors area, holding a sign with Rebecca's name scrawled on it. From what Rebecca told her friends, she fed the young woman very little information about the true meaning of their mission at hand, only saying that they wished to seek out the location of the supposed Lady of the Lake from the Arthurian legends. Thankfully, Rebecca's friend was more than willing to help out, saying that she had spent many years studying the legends herself, thanks to the nightly tales her father would tell her.

The girl waved wildly, garnering Rebecca's attention from across the way. She was tall and willowy, with hair the color of finely spun copper that went to the base of her spine and eyes like murky jade. She wore a black leather jacket with a gauzy blue tank-top and dark washed jeans. She wore a pair of green stone earrings and a pair of laced boots that went to just below her knees.

"Rebecca! Rebecca, over here!" She shouted over the heads of the crowd. Her accent was clearly of British origin, from the southern regions of the country, around the city of London where she grew up.

"There you are Giselle! How are you!" Rebecca wove her way through the throngs of people, occasionally shoving one or two aside, unintentionally of course.

"Busy!" Giselle laughed, shaking Rebecca's hand. "I have to start working on this research journal about how the Welsh language affected the culture and ideas of the neighboring regions. It's a doozy, trying to pronounce some of those words, like gargling rocks. I don't know how they do it."

"Well, if we're bothering you-," Rebecca began, concerned.

"Trust me Rebecca, I _welcome_ a break. I don't mind going to Wales at all. It's actually a pretty area, possessing its own rugged beauty and harshness, the home of legends, I believe." Suddenly, Giselle took notice of Rebecca's companions behind her. "Are these your friends you were telling me about?"

Rebecca nodded. "Yep, they came with me. Kind of a summer vacation of sorts."

"Summer vacation my-" Joey grumbled but was silenced by an elbow to the side by Serenity.

"Language!" she hissed.

"I'd give introductions, but we'd be here all day," Rebecca joked.

"I'll figure them out as we're traveling, although," Giselle mused, "I realize that we should have brought a bigger car, a bus maybe."

Meanwhile, Yugi studied Giselle with a cautious eyes, particularly the earrings. They were french hook earrings, with a singular oval green stone mounted in silver, dangling from them. "Excuse me," Yugi began, "I would hate to bother you, but your earrings, the stones look familiar, like the ones my grandmother used to have. What are they?"

"What, these old things?" Giselle flicked the earring. "They were from my mum. They're actually peridot, I believe that they're rare around here, but I'm not a geologist so I can't give you a definitive answer with the latter."

"Oh, okay, thank you. I think that was the stone my grandmother had as well."

"Huh, small world." Giselle continued walking.

Tea turned to Yugi, whispering quietly. "You don't think they're peridot, do you?"

Yugi shook his head. "Not in the slightest. They're the exact same shade as the Orichalcos."

"You think she's bad news then?"

"I don't know honestly. It could be that she's just unaware of what they truly are. We'll need to keep an eye on her, just in case though."

"Agreed."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

In the end, Giselle did manage to procure a bus for them like she had mentioned in the airport. It would take a day's trip to get into Wales and then the town where the lake was located. From what Giselle had explained, there were in fact three different lakes and ponds that lay claim to the mythical Lady of the Lake. In the end, Giselle had narrowed it down to one location, just outside of a town known as Myddfai. It wasn't a very big town, Giselle said, so they would have to find a larger city to stay at for the nights, since the bed and breakfasts dotting the countryside wouldn't be able to hold all of them at one time.

The bus driver, a man who was of definitive Welsh descent, talked animatedly with Giselle, who could speak fluent Welsh. To Rebecca, it was a guttural language at times, at others, reminding her of the days of old. An intriguing juxtaposition, but one fitting the people of Wales. After a period of time, Giselle went back to her seat, sitting next to Rebecca. The pair were silent for a heartbeat, before Giselle spoke:

"You aren't _just_ looking for the Lake, are you?" she accused Rebecca.

"What would make you think that?" Rebecca asked, trying to keep her cool, wondering if any of her friends had revealed the true nature of their mission.

"Because your grandpa is a legend among archeologists, known for discovering locations and artifacts that were long thought to be myth. Shoot, he even found evidence of a city not unlike Atlantis. It wouldn't take much of a leap to assume that his granddaughter is doing likewise."

Rebecca sagged in the seat, knowing that Giselle was onto her. "You're good, you know that?"

"Quite," Giselle replied, smug.

"We're looking for a blade."

"Caliburn, I presume?"

"The other name for Excalibur, correct?"

"Well, one of the translations. It's original name is quite a tongue twister, so I won't say it. I think I have fulfilled my daily quota of Welsh."

"Yeah, that's what we're looking for."

"Rebecca, people have been looking for it for hundreds, possibly thousands of years and there hasn't even been a single shred of evidence of the blade's existence, let alone location. What makes you think that you can fine it?

"I'm a Hawkins," Rebecca said, smiling a bit. "My grandfather discovered evidence of Atlantis and the true story behind Shangri-La. Finding a sword in a lake can't be that difficult."

"You are sure of yourself, I'll give you that. Well, I'll come along for kicks and giggles. Since I'm fairly certain that you don't want me calling up a team of scuba divers to assist in the search- "

"Discretion is key here," Rebecca interjected.

"-Then I'll call up a friend to give me these little nifty devices they invented. They're a short distance away from here actually."

"What do the devices do, exactly?"

"Well, they're small mouth devices that convert the carbon dioxide you exhale back into oxygen using some reagents or the like inside the device. Just stick it in your mouth and off you go. It's being used by a larger and larger group of people, so they're safe."

"Giselle, you're a lifesaver." Rebecca wanted to hug her.

"Well, I am trained in CPR and basic first aid, so let's hope so."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

They stopped in Cardiff for the night, renting out rooms at a nearby hotel. They would drive to the town of Myddfai in the morning, searching the lake nestled in the Welsh hills. At the end of the day, or if they found the sword, whichever would come first, they would drive back and repeat the process the following day, should their endeavors prove unsuccessful. After a meal of traditional British affair—nearly everybody veered far away from the eels—they turned to bed, exhausted from a day on the bus as it drove through the rugged, bumpy hills of the British and Welsh countryside.

Joey sat on the edge of the bed, unable to sleep. His body was tired, but his mind was racing, racing with numerous possibilities and the enormity of the task ahead. The Sword of Renewal, wielded by Hermos, was destined to be his blade. Only he could bear its burden. The more he thought about though, the more it terrified him and he could not fathom why. All his life, he had played second fiddle to Yugi and the Pharaoh, not that he minded. He liked to play backup, providing support when needed, something he was good at. Heavens know how many times he pulled Yugi's skin from the proverbial fire. It was his job, he decided, to make sure Yugi was safe, allowing Yugi to deal with more serious things at hand. To be thrust in the limelight, well, that was a bit of a new experience for him.

And it wasn't like he had a stellar track record of succeeding when he was in the spotlight either. He failed to save Mai, twice, during Battle City and the Orichalcos fiasco, and he wasn't around to help the Pharaoh defeat Dartz during that card game. Yugi even helped pay for Serenity's surgery, not he. So he wasn't the best man for the job, he determined.

They had failed the first time as well, with Kaiba's Sword of Wisdom. Midas had gotten to it first, taunting them and then trying to kill them with his abnormal shadow monsters. So what made them think that they would succeed this time?

There was a snort beside him and he jumped before realizing that it was Tristan, snoring. The beds in this hotel were smaller than the usual, making it so that only one person could sleep in the bed, rather than two. So, Tristan occupied one bed, Joey, the other.

"Sounds like a blooming chainsaw," Joey said to himself, chuckling at his quip, attempting to alleviate his rapidly growing sour mood. The curtains fluttered weakly as the air conditioner rumbled to life, circulating the stale air in the room. He sighed, slumping in defeat.

"How the heck are we gonna pull this off?" he wondered out loud. Tristan couldn't hear him, so he didn't reply.

_"Faith, my despondent friend. Faith is the one weapon Midas cannot wield."_

Joey straightened up. The disembodied voice was vehemently _not_ Tristan. "Who's there?"

The curtains flapped and fluttered crazily with a gust of wind that he could not feel. In the shadows was a man, clad in burnished red armor from helm, which he carried in the crook of his arm, to the steel toed boots. His hair was a chestnut brown, with golden eyes that shone even in the darkness, like those of a cat.

"Hermos," Joey whispered.

The apparition, Hermos, smiled back. _"Hello Joseph. It has been quite a while."_

"But—how. . .how are you. . .you were a freaking dragon!"

_"Indeed I was, but with the downfall of Dartz, the spell that had been placed over us was lifted and we were able to resume are true forms and join our loved ones in the realm of spirits like we should have so many generations ago," _Hermos added sadly.

"Then what are you doing here then?"

_"To guide you. You have grown despondent, weary and I am here to restore your faith once more. I am the wielder of Renewal, after all, a master of the healing arts. Once upon a time, I was the greatest healer within Atlantis. I was often depicted in art wielding the blade in one hand, the herbs in the other," _Hermos reminisced. The spirit moved closer and Joey felt a healing aura envelop him, like a warm blanket. It was comforting and he could feel the tensions in his heart and soul begin to relax and untangle. The knight removed one of his gauntlets and reached out with the bare hand, brushing Joey's hair aside and placing his hand upon his forehead. _"Be healed, son of Pendragon and have your faith renewed once more"_

Joey felt filled with a golden light, seeking out and purging any doubts he might have had earlier. The golden light filled him for a few heartbeats, before fading away, leaving him whole once again. Hermos withdrew his hand and tugged on the gauntlet on.

_"Better?"_ he asked.

"Much," Joey said, awed. "But. . ."

_"But what, Joseph?"_

"You didn't come all the way here just to preform a faith healing, did you?"

Hermos chuckled, giving him a subtle smile._ "Look inside yourself and see."_

"That's not very helpful."

_"The best pieces of wisdom rarely are."_

"It's like you're Obi-Wan, telling me to go to the Dagobah system and find Yoda."

_"I do not understand."_

"It's a Star Wars reference. . .ah never mind. Forget it."

_"Very well then. I shall depart, leaving you with your thoughts._" The knight began to step back into the shadows, when Joey stopped him.

"Wait."

_"What is it?"_

"I was wondering.. .if you know. . .were you able to see Miana again, when you turned back into a human?"

_"I was. I missed her so very much. You see much of Mai in her, don't you?"_

"How were you?. . ."

_"I sensed her presence when she attempted to use the Claw of Hermos. Kindred spirits are easy to detect."_

"Oh." He flushed suddenly, realizing Hermos' implication.

_"I shall depart then. Good night, Joseph, son of Pendragon."_ Hermos stepped back, until he was lost in the shadows once more, those golden eyes fading at last.

Joey flopped back onto the bed, pondering his words. Curious, he took a sidelong glance at Tristan, wondering if Tristan even remotely noticed the incident. At the prone form and the loud snoring, Joey decided that Tristan wouldn't have even noticed an earthquake occurring. He also wondered why he had asked Hermos such a question; it didn't make sense. _"My mind must be going,"_ he told himself, the knight's words ringing in his mind.

_ "What did he mean, "look inside yourself"? I'm guessing it's one of those metaphorical things, but I ain't good at that sort of things. . .Yuge' is better at this sort of thing. Hmmm. . .Wait. Maybe it's one of those things where I have to look inward, that sort of shebang, but how on earth do I do that._" He continued mulling this over as he crawled under the sheets, his mind somewhat at ease thanks to Hermos' healing touch. Whether he would be able to decipher the knight's cryptic words could wait until morning.

**Giselle, for the record, is somewhat important, but not uberly, if that makes sense. Her mother was French but her father is British. When she was really young, her mother abandoned them for her lover and they moved back to England/London. That is why she has a French name, but a British accent, for those who were curious. **

** The town of Myddfai is indeed a real town in Wales and it is a small town as well. The lake that is nearby, Llyn a Fan Fach is known as one of the lakes that is the supposed location of the Lady of the Lake. Granted, that version is different from the Arthurian version, but for the sake of the story, we'll tweak it **_**juust**_** a little bit. Besides, one could argue that all myths change with the passage of time, in combination with the locales. **

** Caliburn is one of the Welsh names for Excalibur. The name "Excalibur" is the latest name for the mythical blade, its scabbard/blade (depending on which tale) known for its healing prowess. . .or in this case, renewal. It's other name is Caledfwlch, and while I do have Welsh ancestry, I not even going to attempt to pronounce this bad boy; you might hurt yourself :D Plus, the flag of Wales has a red dragon on it. . .Think about it ;) **


	47. Chapter 47: Into the Depths

Chapter 47: Into the Depths

The lake that Giselle had described was located at the foot of a large escarpment in a mountainous, windswept plain. It was known as Llyn a Fan Fach, home to the myths of the Lady of the Lake. There were hardly any trees to block the occasional gusts of wind, forcing everybody to wear windbreakers or whatever jackets they had on hand. Despite it being in the grips of summer, the region was still quite cool, a stark contrast to the climes of the Mediterranean. According to Giselle, this version of the Lady of the Lake was quite different from the Arthurian version of the Lady of the Lake, but it was common knowledge hat myths and legends change with the passage of time, adapting to the local cultures. It was a common human phenomenon.

Since the lake was located within a natural park, they had to leave the bus, to walk to the lake with day packs. To see Seto Kaiba trekking through the wilds of Wales with a day pack like an ordinary tourist eliciting plenty of laughs from Joey, Tristan and Duke. If Kaiba could literally stare daggers, then the trio would have ended up in the emergency room. The trek down to the lake itself was quiet save for the wind screaming in their ears and the crunch of the long grasses under their feet. Giselle was in the lead of their party, having the most experience in this kind of landscape despite having never been to the lake personally.

After walking for most of the day down a sloping hill that dropped hundreds of feet, until they reached the foot of the lake. The escarpment blocked the majority of the wind, but a slight breeze could be felt here, causing the lake shores to be kissed by soft lapping waves.

"This is it, huh?" Tristan spoke, breaking the silence. It was like shattering a slab of glass, the noise was so glaring and out of place in this seemingly barren place.

"Yes, it is," Giselle replied.

"Seems different from all the stories."

"That's because in the romanticized versions of the myth, they all took place in the British forests."

"That would explain it."

It was a decent sized lake and soon, the unspoken question sprang to mind: how were they going to comb the lake for the Sword of Renewal? Giselle was right, they should have gotten a scuba diving team to search the lake. The only problem would be how to pull the blade from the waters, if and should they find it. Giselle did manage to procure a half dozen of the breathing apparatuses like she had told Rebecca, but it would take forever for them to search the lake manually.

They wracked their brains, hoping to find a feasible solution. They sat on the shores, a combination of frustration and exhaustion taking their toll. The lake was thankfully clear but it appeared to be bitterly cold, as Marik discovered when he dipped his hand into the waters.

"Anybody have any ideas?" Aaron asked, his head on his knees, watching the waters lap at the shore. "Because I got nothing."

"I don't think anybody has any idea," Yugi said. "Except swimming in the lake itself."

"But it's huge," Tea argued, playing devil's advocate. "We'd be here forever and a day if we swam every square inch looking for it. Plus the water is freezing; somebody could catch hypothermia if they aren't careful."

Mai sighed, "We should have gotten a scuba diving team. They'd have the proper supplies."

"It would take too long," Ishizu said. "And we do not have the luxury of time on our side."

Mokuba turned to Yugi. "Is this the only solution?"

Yugi shook his head. "It's the only thing, I'm afraid."

"Then where do you want to begin?" Ryou asked. "It's is large and we need some sort of plan to search the lake."

"Well. . ."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-

Meanwhile, Joey gazed upon the lake with a sense of urgency and apprehension. He was growing more anxious by the minute, frustrated at the fact that they were daunted by the prospect of searching the lake. Instead, they sat on the lake shore, tossing ideas back and forth on how to search the body of water. It would take too long and they did not have enough time; why they couldn't see that, Joey couldn't understand. He unshouldered his backpack, rummaging through it for a bottle of water. The altitude and cold took a lot of energy out of him and he didn't want to get sick from dehydration, which had happened a time or two in his past; it wasn't a pleasant experience.

By happenstance, he took a peek back at the lake, hoping for a stroke of inspiration, when he spotted a figure hovering above the water, clad in the red armor, holding a sword. The figure hovered near the northern side of the lake near its center. The knight held the sword point down, as if pointing.

Joey recognized the armor and figure immediately. "Hermos," he whispered.

"What was that Joey?" Serenity asked.

"I know," he told himself, the realization dawning on him. "I know where it is." He stood up, removing his jacket and duel disk. He went over to Giselle, taking one of the apparatuses silently. He spun back around and began to jog, then breaking into a run along the shore to get to as close as he could without diving into the waters just yet. The figure remained, waiting patiently.

"Joey!" Serenity shouted, standing up suddenly. "What are you doing!"

"Get back here Joseph!" Mai screeched.

"I know!" he shouted back, almost jubilant. "I know!"

"Know what?" Tristan asked.

"He knows where the sword is," Yugi blurted. He reached down, grabbing his pack, running after him. "Wait for us!"

Joey paid his friend no heed, screeching to a halt. He hastily untied his shoes and socks, not wanting to walk in sodden shoes on the way back. He placed the breathing apparatus in his mouth and began to wade in. It was like walking into an ice bath, the cold seeping into the very depths of his body but he shoved the discomfort away. He had a knack for ignoring pain, whether from the gang fights from his youth or the occasional injury in his household, he could shunt it aside to focus on the matter. Slowly but surely he sunk into the waters diving in when it became too deep to wade. He disappeared under the tranquil surface with nary a splash.

"Joey!" Yugi shouted in a panic, unable to reach him before he dove into the waters. "You can't do this alone!" He began to tear his own shoes and jacket off, prepared to dive into the waters alongside him when Ishizu reached out, grabbing the young man by the shoulder.

"Trust him," she told him calmly. "And wait."

"But. . ."Yugi meekly protested.

"Wait."

Yugi sighed, sitting on the lake shore despondently. Ishizu was right on some level; he should wait and trust him. If Kaiba could lead them to the Sword of Wisdom, then surely Joey could find the Sword of Renewal with the same practiced ease.

"Okay, I'll wait," he said at last.

"You're kidding, right?" Mai said incredulous. "I'm not going to let him swim in that freezing lake, probably catching hypothermia as we speak, _by himself!_" By the end, her voice had risen by an octave.

"If Kaiba can lead us to the Sword of Wisdom, despite never been to the region and never even seeing the sword, then I think Joey can find the sword with little issue. He's pretty good with his instincts."

"It's whether he has common sense that I'm worried about," Mai said.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.

He shrugged off the cold as best as he could, but eventually it permeated every inch of him, his clothes clinging to him, making it difficult to move about with the same range of mobility. Wet jeans were never fun. Shafts of sunlight pierced the depths, which had been clearer than expected. The lake was deep as well, where no sunlight could reach and light with its rays. He could no longer see Hermos hovering over the waters, but he had the image seared in his head. He swam unerringly to it, like an arrow from a bow, deeper and deeper.

The apparatus was working as Giselle said it would, converting his carbon dioxide into oxygen, essentially allowing him to breathe underwater without the need for an oxygen tank like a scuba diver. He could see the stream of bubbles as a small amount of air escaped from the device. Her friend was a genius, he told himself, in an effort to ignore the cold. He was beginning to lose feeling in his toes and fingertips and he felt more clumsy and awkward in the water. He fought it, knowing that his own personal comfort was nothing in comparison to the bigger scheme of things. Besides, he had faced down worse and lived. He survived an attack by the most powerful monster in Duel Monster History and he faced off against multiple eldritch abominations that were thousands of years old. If he could survive Ra, The Leviathan and Zorc, then he could survive a little bit of cold water.

It was growing colder and darker as he dived to the lower depths of the lake. Sunlight barely penetrated this part of the lake. It was much murkier as well, silt disturbed by the fish that dwelt here. Every now and then, he saw a flash of scales from a fish or two, fleeing his presence. Joey lamented that he had no sort of light down here and wished he had a flashlight or the like, to guide him.

He had to trust his instincts, he told himself in a silent mantra. Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts. Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts. . .

Then something went horribly wrong.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-

"It's been too long," Tristan said, pacing the shoreline. It had been over ten minutes and there were still no signs of him surfacing. "Why did he have to be an idiot and dive in there by himself?"

"For once, I agree with Tristan," Mai said firmly, arms crossed, violet eyes focused on the very spot where he waded in. "We _have_ to go after him. It's a miracle that he's been in there that long."

Serenity nodded in consent. "He has to be feeling the effects of hypothermia by now. We need to go after him."

Yugi was torn between the protests of his friends and trusting in Joey. Deep down, he knew that Joey was more than capable of finding the blade, but to voice those opinions would surely earn their ire. They were concerned and rightfully so.

"Five more minutes," Yugi said at last. "Just five more minutes. Then we're going in."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was barely noticeable at first, only a larger trail of bubbles leaving the device. He chalked it up to simply breathing deeper, noticing the effects of the water's pressure. Then he accidentally inhaled a small mouthful of water when he was supposed to inhale oxygen from the device. He coughed, nearly losing the device in the process.

_"Something's wrong,"_ he thought, a sickening feeling in his stomach. _"Something's wrong with the device."_ He tapped it experimentally a couple of times, hoping it would fix itself, but it didn't. So, he had to go with plan B. He held his breath, diving deeper down. He couldn't go up to resurface, there was no time for that. He had to go deeper.

It was the only chance they had.

Or else Midas won.

He plunged into the darkness once more, his vision all but useless down here. He could only go by pure instinct now. The air in his lungs was burning, the device in his mouth nothing more than an accessory at this point.

Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts. Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts.

The air trapped in his chest was painful, his vision going blurry. If he exhaled now, he would drown. He had to keep going.

_Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts. . .Trust Hermos, trust his own instincts. . ._

His chest was on fire, his vision nothing more than a veil of darkness.

He dove deeper.

_Trust Hermos. . .trust his own instincts. . . Trust Hermos. . ._

_ . . ."I failed."_

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Then, a miracle.

His fingertips, achingly numb, brushed against something hard and smooth. He reflexively grabbed the mysterious object, not knowing what it was. His pains, the cold sinking in every pore, every molecule, the searing pain in his chest, all melted away, only to be replace by a soothing warmth. It was like the air in his chest was replaced with a fresh supply of air, infusing him with a renewed strength. He reached out with his other hand, flailing about helplessly, for his vision was still inhibited by the lake's depths. His hand felt something and he clenched it, his heart soaring. It was the hilt of the sword, the Sword of Renewal.

That was why he felt renewed. The sword healed his ailments. A light emerged from the inky depths and Joey realized that he could see again. The sword's blade was glowing with a pale golden light, highlighting the area. The blade, still in its sheath—undamaged after hundreds of years—was wedged in between two large boulders. Joey kicked out, bracing one foot against each rock, silt being churned everywhere. He began to pull and tug away, trying to dislodge it but it was proving stubborn.

_"Come on, you stupid sword,"_ he growled mentally, pulling harder and harder. Every now and then, his feet would lose their grip, slamming into the lake bed and making it even more difficult to see. _"Come. ON!_" He jerked with all his might, but the sword was still firmly wedged in there. He was growing more and more frustrated and defeated by the moment. It was like all those times before.

When he couldn't even win the money for Serenity's surgery. . .

When he failed to save Mai from Marik. . .

When he couldn't save Mai from her own darkness until it was too late. . .

When he couldn't help The Pharaoh defeat Dartz . . .

He stopped suddenly, realizing something.

He could use it.

Joey channeled all those frustrations, his own failures into an inner strength. He was going to do it. He _had _to and nothing was going to stop him. He felt a surge of strength fill him, a different kind of strength. Anger, channeled into a force of good. He braced himself against the rock and gave one mighty pull. The boulders groaned under the force and the scabbard scrapped against them as it was slowly freed from its prison. One of the boulders suddenly toppled over and the sword sprang free, causing him to lose his balance and flail about for a moment.

He looked down, seeing the sword in his hands.

He did it.

He had the Sword of Renewal.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.

"It's been more than five minutes," Mai told Yugi. There was still no sign of Joey, not even a ripple in the water. There had been a stream of bubbles, probably from the device, but now there was nothing. "I'm going in." She sat down, removing her boots and duel disk. She zipped up her jacket and undid the strap on her thigh that contained her spare duel deck. She tossed it to Serenity. "Keep an eye on it, will you kiddo?" Serenity could only nod as Mai began to wade into the waters.

_"Ooh boy, is this cold," _she thought.

"Wait!" Duke shouted. "What about your jacket?"

She paused, shooting him a scathing look. "Duke, I wearing a white corset."

Duke's face went blank. "Oh."

She had reached the point where she was swimming in the lake, the water soaking nearly every inch of her, when bubbles reappeared once more. Moments later, Joey emerged from the water with a surge, tossing his hair about to get it out of his eyes. He looked about, spotting Mai in the waters. "Mai, what are you doing in here?"

She fumbled for an excuse, taken by surprise. "You moron," she growled, splashing water at him. "You had everybody worried, especially your sister! What were you thinking, going in there by yourself? You could have killed yourself!"

Joey could only grin in reply, frustrating her even further. "For this," he said, pulling something. It was long and slender a little more than four feet in length. It was a deep red hue, studded and capped with gold.

"I got it."

Mai gaped at the item in shock. The Sword. He had done it. "You're still a moron," she told him.

"We better get out of the water before we freeze to death," he said jokingly. "Hey, I just realized something."

"What is it?" she asked him as they began to swim back to the shore.

"Well, you're a lady. . ."

"Obviously."

"I'm not finished yet! Anyways, and you're in the lake. . .You're the Lady of the Lake!"

Mai rolled her eyes at this. "_That's_ the best you could come up with?"

"You have to admit, it's kind of funny. Also I'm cold and tired, it was the best I got."

Mai shook her head at him. "A little bit," she told him.

When the pair emerged from the lake, they were immediately swarmed by their friends. Yugi handed Joey his jacket that he discarded on the other side of the lake. "Here," Yugi said, offering him the jacket. "It'll help keep you warm."

"Thanks." Joey took it, ready to put it on, when he changed his mind. "Here Mai, you look like you need it more than I do."

"I won't take it," Mai argued. "You were in there longer than I was."

"Yeah, but I'm not cold. I don't need it."

"Don't be macho."

"I don't need it, honest." Joey placed a hand on her own. "See? I'm warm. The Sword kept me warm."

Mai looked at the hand in mild surprise at his bold move and moved her hand away. "Okay fine, if it makes you feel any better." He placed the jacket about her shoulders and she was grateful for the warmth. Maybe if they stepped out in the sun she could begin to dry off instead of feeling like a laden sponge.

"So, what does the Sword look like?" Marik asked, pushing in between Kaiba and Ryou.

"Let's see." Joey removed the Sword from its scabbard for the first time in a long time. The blade was around three feet long, made of hammered and folded steel, apparent by the rippling pattern in the metal. The metal itself was the color of burgundy. The hilt was of dyed red skin of sort, rayskin maybe, with gold thread wrapped tenderly about it. The pommel stone was of a solid piece of ruby, faceted and cut to reflect the sun's rays in dazzling bursts of lights. It was a wondrous piece, one that any collector would be salivating over. "Wow," he said at last, holding the blade which way and that.

Serenity agreed. " It's beautiful."

Joey sheathed the blade. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm soaked through, literally, and I'm starving. I say we hit the road."

** Welp, they've got one down but two more to go. You can do it guys! Woohoo! **


	48. Chapter 48: Queen of His Heart

Chapter 48: Queen of his Heart

The ride back to their hotel in Cardiff was uneventful, all of them pumped with adrenaline and excitement at their discovery of the blade. They had managed to outwit Midas, gaining an edge in this race against time. Joey proudly showed off the blade to his friends, but they discovered that only Joey could touch and hold the Sword of Renewal, as Aaron had discovered when he touched the hilt with a fingertip on accident. The Sword burned his hand and Aaron yelped in surprise, nearly falling out of seat.

"Sorry about that man," Joey apologized to the Mossad agent.

"Not your fault, it was the blooming sword," Aaron replied, trying to extract himself out from the space between the seat and the one in front of him. It was quite crowded. "Well, this sucks. I hope we don't hit a bump or worse."

"Here, let me give you a hand," Sivya offered.

When Aaron settled himself in the seat once more, he examined the burn on his finger. It was a nasty one, with a blister forming on the tip of the finger. "That's my trigger finger too," he lamented.

"It's not too bad," Serenity consoled him after taking a quick peek at the injury. "It should pop within a day or two. Hopefully you don't have to shoot any monsters before then."

"I'll just club them," Aaron replied with a wink.

"Hey, something just popped in my head," Ryou said, getting everybody's attention. "Since Excalibur. . .well, it's scabbard, depending on which story you read, was known for its healing powers, I wonder if it can heal that burn of yours."

"I'm not having that thing pointed anywhere towards me," Aaron said, holding his hand close to his chest. "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice and I'll beat you over the head and shoulders with Sivya's whopping stick."

"Wait, what do I have to do with this?" Sivya asked, confused.  
>"That's not how the rhyme went," Tristan argued.<p>

"I guess it's worth a shot, but since big, bad Mossad agent is being a wimp, does anybody have any injuries that we can heal?" Marik asked.

"I have one," Yugi interjected, removing his jacket and rolling the sleeve of his shirt up, revealing the cut from the shadow monster from the ruins of Troy. "You can try it on me."

Joey looked down at the sword. "Are you sure Yuge'? I don't want to hurt you."

"I'll be fine. I trust you."

Joey inhaled deeply and slid across the seats, the sword, now back in its scabbard, in his hands. He pulled it out, the blade shimmering in the afternoon light as if on fire. He aimed the tip at Yugi's injury and slowly inched the point forward, until it barely made contact. There was nothing.

"So much for that," Duke snorted.

"Joeys barely touching Yugi," Tea countered. "Joey, I think it actually has to touch him."

"You sure?"

"I said I'll be fine," Yugi reassured him.

"Alright. . ." He placed the tip of the blade firmly on the half healed cut. The sword and cut began to glow with a pale golden light. They watched in fascination as the cut started to knit itself together, the scab being replaced by newly formed skin. The light faded, the cut no longer there. There wasn't even a scar.

"Okay, that was freaky," Joey said.

"And kind of cool," Tristan added.

"Um. . .I would hate to be a bother, but can we fix my trigger finger now?" Aaron asked, raising his wounded hand.

A short time later, and the healing of Aaron's hand, Joey slid back into his seat, when something sprang to mind. "Hey Rebecca, Giselle."

Giselle popped her head over the seat. "Yo, what's up?"

"I think something's wrong with the little breathing device."

Rebecca was surprised by this. Giselle had sworn that the devices were fail safe, perfected prototypes. "How so?"

"Well, when I was swimming, it was working fine, but then, there were a whole bunch of bubbles and it stopped working. I swallowed a mouthful of water before I even realized it. I think it broke somehow." He fished it out of his pants pocket. "Here, have a look."

Giselle snatched it up before Rebecca could get a good look. She turned it over, scouring over every inch of it. "That's strange, it shouldn't have failed like you said. We tested it only a short while ago and it worked just fine." Giselle gave it a tap on the top of the seat and looked at it once more. "I don't get it. Huh. Oh well, you're safe and sound so I wouldn't worry about it." Giselle began to place it in her pocket before Rebecca's hand reached out, plucking the device from Giselle's grip. The woman glared at Rebecca as she looked it over.

Joey watched Rebecca at work; the girl was an expert with pretty much any technological device that she came across. She had even broke through the security programs of KaibaCorp once upon a time. Rebecca frowned as she scrutinized it, a poor sign for all. She even held it up to the light, fiddling with the apparatus's protrusions. In the end, she handed it back to Giselle. "It is kind of weird," Rebecca said, her voice devoid of any emotion. She was clearly hiding something from public view. Rebecca then went to her cell phone, the smart phone with the stylus.

A couple minutes later, Joey's phone, stashed away in his day pack, buzzed and vibrated. It was a text message from an unknown number. He decided to read it anyway:

_It's Rebecca. Yugi just gave me your number._

So Rebecca was hiding something after all, Joey told himself. He continued reading and his heart sank when he read it:

_The device was sabotaged._

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She kept to herself the rest of the afternoon, deciding to rent her own hotel room, rather than sharing like she had the previous couple of nights. It wasn't that Mai didn't like her company, she just needed to be alone for tonight.

Plus, all she wanted was a good, long, hot soak in the tub to wash off all the dirt and to dispel the cold from the lake. She still had Joey's jacket, but he didn't say anything about wanting it back, so she continued to wear it for the rest of the evening. She swore though, that he was gloating on the inside because of it, as if to say, "I got you".

She leaned against the headboard of the hotel bed, thumbing through her book, trying to find her bookmark, which had apparently slipped out during the constant moving of luggage and carry-on. It wasn't apparent at first glance, but she enjoyed reading, a past time stemming from her lonely and near-nomadic childhood. Her father worked as a financial adviser to many companies and businesses, forcing them to move every few years as her father worked for different clients. As she had very little friends, save for whatever tutors and nannies her mother hired, she turned to reading as a pastime to fulfill that need to human companionship.

"Stupid bookmark," she grumbled, surrendering to whatever gods had decided to hide her bookmark. Thankfully in cases like this, she also folded the corner of whatever page she had stopped on, an added measure. "I'll show you," she told it, going to said page. "See, told you." She began to read, adjusting the shade of her bedside lamp for more light. She read books from nearly all genres, whatever piqued her interest. At the moment she was reading _The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo._ Of course, she had her guilty pleasures as well, the occasional romance novel, a book she had tucked away next to her, should she change her mind.

She shivered a little bit with the cold and she pulled Joey's jean jacket closer about her. Eventually he'll want it back, but in the mean time, she'd enjoy the pleasure of wearing it. She turned the page, engrossed in the story, when her elbow nudged against something in the inside pocket, catching her attention. Curious what what Joey could have in the pocket, she removed the jacket and peeked into the pocket—she didn't want to put her hands in there for obvious reasons. It looked like a handkerchief of sorts, which was surprising to Mai because Joey did not seem the kind to carry one. Upon closer inspection it looked rather feminine-

-And familiar.

She pulled the handkerchief out of the pocket, holding it up in the light and gaping in surprise at what she saw. It was the very same handkerchief she had given to him at Duelist Kingdom, the one that hid the Glory of the King's Right Hand card he was missing. "He kept it all these years," she said to herself. She held it for a moment longer, before folding it back up neatly and returning it back in the pocket. She thought of placing the jacket back on, but in the end she decided against it, albeit reluctantly. She wandered over, draping it over the chair. At the very least, she could tease him endlessly until she gave in and returned it. It wasn't like his wallet was in there. She suspected though, that he didn't want her to discover that he kept the handkerchief after all this time. She smiled to herself at this before heading back to the bed, making sure she had some time to spare.

The plan was to fly out in the morning to Luxor International Airport, where they would then journey to The Valley of the Kings and Thebes, hoping to find some evidence of Atem's reign and the location of his tomb. From what Tea had explained to her, when Atem went back to the Field of Reeds—the Egyptian afterlife—he did not return from his own tomb, but rather a chamber that once housed the Millennium Items. His tomb, where his body and numerous treasures was in a different place entirely. Solomon Muto, Yugi's grandfather, had found the Millennium Puzzle in another part of the Valley, possibly in an attempt to keep thieves from pillaging the tomb to find the Puzzle and the powers within, which would make sense, she guessed. She'd seen one too many goons go after poor Yugi. The kid was a mystical punching bag, so to speak.

The problem was that they had no idea where to begin, when it came to locating the final sword, the Sword of Justice. Nobody knew where his tomb was at, for all those records were lost during the fires that consumed parts of the ancient Library of Alexandria, so Ishizu had told them despite the scrolls Marik recovered having evidence of Atem's reign. It just keeps getting more and more complicated, she told herself. Why couldn't they just duel Midas and get it over with, like they had done in the old days, instead of globe trotting using legends and shreds of rumor and conjecture? She hated the subtle games; it reminded her of her childhood and the politics her parents were involved in. A dirty sneaky game where only the richest win in the end.

She grew uninterested in the book and she set it aside, picking up the other one, hoping for some mindless entertainment as her mind wandered to places she had no control over.

Why didn't he tell her, she wondered. Why did he say nothing about that duel with Marik? Was he nervous, too traumatized to discuss it at the time? She mentally kicked herself, for being too selfish to see that others had suffered from the rampage of Marik's darker side. How painful it must have been, to feel your strength drained from you little by little, until you couldn't even stand, a shell of what you once were. To feel the searing heat, the full brunt of the infinite power of the Egyptian god cards, Winged Dragon of Ra. Mai had only felt the residual effects, the heat on her face as the Pharaoh had blocked the brunt of the blow from her and Joey. What would have happened, if the Pharaoh hadn't done that? Would Joey have felt the power of Ra twice, or would he have even lasted the first time around. It was a question that she would have ponder another time.

But why was she going down this route. It seemed like every free moment she had these past few days, her mind turned to him. It was unlike her to focus on someone for such a long time. _"Five years, I would think,"_ she told herself, sinking down the headboard. She was clearly losing her grips on sanity, Mai decided, to think to such uncharacteristic thoughts.

There was a knock at the door and she started, nearly banging her head on the headboard. She hastily stowed the romance novel under a blanket, out of plain sight. She went to the door and peeked through it.

It was Joey, the Sword of Renewal in hand.

"Hey Mai," he waved.

"What on earth are you doing at my hotel room with the sword, at such an ungodly hour?"

"Well, I had this idea and I was thinking that maybe, I could hide the Sword in your room?"

She raised an eyebrow. "_Let the teasing begin," _she thought. "Joseph you do realize how much of an innuendo that sounded like, right?"

His face went blank, then flushed red. "You know I didn't mean it like that!" he protested.

"Of course you didn't," she winked. "But you can come in anyway." She shut the door behind him. "Now, why do you need to hide the Sword here of all places?"

"Yugi and Rebecca think that Giselle is somehow in league with Midas."

She was intrigued. "How so?"

Joey sat down on the couch on the far side of the room. "Yugi thinks the stones in her earrings are actually Orichalcos stones among other things," he said with a shrug.

"That's a pretty serious accusation but I guess after all we've been through, I don't blame their paranoia." Mai finished. She could tell he was hiding something, but what it was she couldn't tell. She could be patient. "So you want to hide the sword in here, to throw off any followers."

"Yep."

"Huh. I guess I don't have a problem with it. Good luck finding a place to stash it. There's not a whole lot of places in her to squirrel away a mystical, thousands of year old sword that can heal people."

"I'll find a place," he reassured her with a smile. Mai felt an unusual flutter in her chest as he did so.

Joey crouched down, examining the bed frame. "Let's see. . .let's see here. . .aha!" He wriggled a panel of wood loose and popped it out. It was a miracle that the sword could fit in there with ease. He wedged the wood slat back into place, making sure he could remove it with ease. "See? Ta-da!" He flopped down on the bed. "Told you I could do it."

Mai snorted and sat against the headboard. "You aren't going to flop about here like a dying fish all night, are you?"

"Did you know that Tristan sounds like a diesel engine on overdrive when he sleeps? Duke snores too."

"Should have gotten your own room then kiddo, like I did. And besides, Serenity told me you snore too."

"She did not!" Joey proclaimed. "And I don't snore!"

"Suuurrre you don't."

"I resent that remark. Hey, what's this?" Joey felt something poke at his back. He turned over, rummaging through Mai's sheets, looking for the source. He removed a book, the very same book that Mai had hid away when Joey first knocked. "Never would have pegged you to read romance novels," he ribbed. "Nice Scotsmen on the cover, with that long hair and what not."

"Joseph Wheeler, if you do not give me back that book in five seconds, so help me. . ."

Joey only laughed and went to the couch on the other side of the room. "Neat castle too. Looks kind of familiar. I bet I've seen it before, one some Duel Monster circuit or not."

"Joey. . ." she growled.

"Relax, I only wanted a peek." He went to the final page, careful to keep Mai's place in the book. "Huh."

"What is it?" Mai had firmly seated herself next to him, determined to wrest the book away from him when she got the chance.

"I was expecting the final line to read "And they lived happily ever after"."

"Why would you think such a thing like that?"

"I dunno, guess I don't really get romance novels. Why do girls read these kind of things anyways?"

"Because. . ."

"Because what?"

"Because everybody deserves a happy ending," she said quietly, thinking of all those years of pain, of near unspeakable ordeals. A happy ending indeed.

"Yeah, but how boring is that?" he said. "I mean seriously, you've heard of those crappy Disney sequels, right? That's what happy endings get you."

"And your point is?"

"I mean. . .you would get so bored with that. I can't see you settle down like those. You're too adventurous, too full of life to just settle down and have like a half dozen kids."

"I'm flattered," Mai drawled. She was flattered actually, by his remarks.

"I'm being serious you know. Here, have your book. The half naked Scotsmen is weirding me out anyway," he handed it back to her and she tossed it on the bed.

"Jealous?"

"Pssh, I look better than he does. I don't do that whole kilt thing. Bit breezy for my tastes."

"Too much information Joey, too much information."

He grinned at this, like a kid who told an inappropriate joke and all she could do was smile back; his smile was contagious. They fell into an easy silence, Joey clearly not wanting to leave just yet, or at all, if his earlier comments were to be believed.

"I talked with Tea the other night," Mai began, leaning into the couch.

"I would assume so, considering you two have been glued to the hip since the tourney," Joey remarked idly.

"Well. . .," Mai paused, wondering how exactly she should handle the situation with as much tact as possible. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. "I wish I had asked you about your duel."

"My duel?. . ." He was genuinely confused for a moment, but then he connected the proverbial pieces. Mai wouldn't mention Tea and duels in the same breath unless. . . "You mean my duel with Marik," he said at last and she nodded. "I had asked Tea. . ." he started when Mai cut him off.

"I made her tell me, so don't get mad at her."

"I not mad, actually. I figured it would happen sooner or later. Why do you want to know?"

". . .Let's say it partly because of a guilty conscious. I shouldn't have been so selfish, thinking that I was the only one. . ."

He silenced her protests. "Hey, don't think like that. You couldn't have known what. . ." he swallowed, all those unpleasant memories emerging again. "What had happened."

Mai didn't speak for a heartbeat, thinking. Then, she spoke once more. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm, I'm not sure, actually. It's really. . ."

Mai reached out, curling her fingers about his hand. "It's okay."

He took a deep breath. "It was the most painful thing ever, to face down. . .that. To feel your strength drain away little by little, until it hurt even to breathe, to think, to speak. Then, Ra. To see it in its Phoenix mode, or whatever the heck it was called, it's like knowing you were going to suffer the worst agony, but you couldn't stop it. But the actual pain was a thousand times worst than what you could have imagined. The worst part, though, wasn't the physical pain, that always goes away with time. The worst part was knowing you failed miserably. That you broke your promise and that you'd have to live with that for the rest of your life."

"Promise?" she asked him, knowing deep down what he was referring to.

"To. . .to save you."

She released her grip to cup his face. She blindly realized that she no longer had control over her own actions, but at the point she no longer cared. "Oh Joseph, you're the most insufferable, impulsive, kindest idiot I've ever met." She leaned in, lips brushing against his. His eyes became wide the moment his mind processed what was occurring. When she pulled away, he pinched himself on the arm. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure I'm not dreaming."

She rolled her eyes at this. "As I said, an idiot." She tugged on his shirt collar, pulling him forward.

"I'm not an—Mmphff!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-

There was a knock at the door, startling Tea from her sleep. She took a sleepy glance at the clock, noting the time. "Why would somebody be knocking at this time of night?" There was a second one, more frantic this time and Tea extracted herself from the mass of covers, unwilling to leave them in the first place. She went to the door and took a look through the peephole. Upon recognizing them, she opened the door.

"Hey, what do you need—heymmph!

** And it only took forty-eight chapters to get there! WHOOO.**

**Also the only non-crappy animated Disney sequel is "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride", but only because Zira is creepy awesome as all get out. " My Lullaby"=Nightmare Fuel for kids like, six and under. :/**


	49. Chapter 49: How the Coin Lands

Chapter 49: How the Coin Lands

He woke up the following morning with a horrific kink in his neck and his leg half asleep, the nerves tingling back to life like ants crawling up his leg. Joey popped the vertebrae in his neck, sitting upright on the couch, moving the blanket aside so he could somewhat get feeling back into his leg. Admittedly, sleeping on a couch was not an ideal situation.

At least, not alone.

_"So I'm guessing that you'll be staying here tonight?" Mai asked him, idly fiddling with a seam on his shirt as she curled up alongside him on the couch, her head on his chest. It was odd, how at ease she felt alongside him. A part of her wondered why they hadn't reached this point a long time ago._

_ "I guess, if that's alright with you. I don't exactly feel like sleeping in the room with the diesel engines," he had joked. "But I don't want to well, you know-" he then trailed off when Mai placed a finger to his lips._

_ "Relax, I not going to kick you out just yet. Besides, I think it'll be more entertaining to stay until morning, just to see everybody reactions," she had winked at him._

_ ". . .You're a horrible person, Mai."_

_ "Not that horrible." She slowly extracted herself from her very comfortable position on the couch, heading to the bed. She then tossed him a pillow, which he barely caught in time before it collided with his face. She began to pull off one of the blankets off the bed._

_ "Whatcha doing Mai?"_

_ "Well, I'm not going to go to sleep without some blanket. Hotel rooms can get so cold. Here, catch." She tossed the wadded up blanket at him next, which he untangled. She wandered back to the couch._

_ "Your concern is touching," he remarked sarcastically just before catching Mai by the waist and pulling her back down alongside him._

_ "Gah! Joey!"_

"Oh you stupid mound of hair!" Joey nearly jumped off the couch, startled. He craned his neck around to find Mai in front of the bathroom mirror, already dressed for the day, fiddling with her hair, still damp. Her towel was draped across her shoulders.

"Something the matter?" he called out.

She spun about, smiling slightly. "Morning sleeping beauty. Have a nice night?"

"I most certainly hope so. What's bugging you?"

"My stupid hair. I wanted to put it in a braid, you know, for the waves-"

"Uh-huh."

"And it's being uncooperative at the moment and it'll take too long to dry it."

"But you always have it down, why not today?"

"I felt like it. Can't a girl change it up every once in a while?"

He shrugged. "I'll never get women."

"Harumph. It's no wonder you haven't had a girlfriend until now," she teased.

"Well, maybe I was just waiting for the right one to come along," He replied, before blushing red and clamping a hand over his mouth. Mai froze as well and he could see the flush of red tainting her cheeks from the mirror. She coughed awkwardly, to break the moment.

"Normally, Vivian's around to give me a hand, but. . ." She went back to the mirror. "It's such a bloody pain to get it by yourself." After a few moments of fighting her hair, she decided to give up on it and let it air dry into wavy locks. "Fine, be that way."

"Didn't realize that you talked to your hair," he said with a smile.

The very next moment, Mai's damp towel collided with his face.

"Classy."

She gave him a saucy wink and his heart fluttered in his chest."I'm the very epitome of it," Mai said as she reached for the towel, lest he find some mischievous purpose for it. She took it from him and tossed it away onto the bed. The housekeeping would take care of it.

" Come on lazy bones," she ribbed while tugging him off the couch, knowing full well that he was more than likely enjoying the view and the moment. Sadly, as much as she wanted to stay with him, they both knew that at least for now, they had a job to do, more or less."You better grab your sword and get back to your hotel room before people get suspicious."

"I'd like to think they already are."

"Don't flatter yourself kiddo."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

She woke up with a sickly smell filling nostrils and with a shudder, Tea recognized it from a shadow game that seemed to have taken place ages ago.

Chloroform.

The last thing she remembered was opening the door to her hotel room in the middle of the night to Giselle and then she found herself here.

"Whatever here is," she told herself, scanning her surroundings. She was tied to a chair, her hands and feet firmly bound to a chair, as was her torso. The rough fibers of the rope chaffed horribly against her bare skin and she wished then that she wore longer sleeves, instead of the tank top and shorts she wore to bed that night. Tea made an attempt to wriggle her hands from the bounds but to no avail. They were firmly knotted. Maybe if she kept working at it, she could free them and untie herself.

She looked about, realizing that she was on a balcony of sorts, looking out into a plaza of sorts, like the one you would find in a hotel.

Except that this hotel had been completely destroyed by a fire. Tea guessed she was on the second or third floor, out of about five or six stories. High enough that she couldn't run without going down stairs and risk being recaptured. They were smart, whoever they were.

"Hello Tea." It was Giselle, smirking as she leaned against the rail. "Have a lovely nap?"

"It was you," Tea spat. "Yugi was right: you _are_ up to no good."

"How perceptive of you," Giselle purred. "You're smarter than I expected."

"Ooh, if I could get out of these bonds. . ." Tea raged.

"Then where would you go?" Giselle asked coolly. "You're in a city you've never been in before and have no way about this place, let alone, find your way back to your hotel room. Recapturing you once again would be as simple as well, playing a simple card game." Giselle patted Tea on the cheek before giving her a peck on the forehead. She then pulled out a strip of white fabric. "Now, before I have continuously screeching in my ear during the entire duel. . ." Despite Tea's constant squirming, Giselle managed to securely tie the fabric about her mouth, effectively gagging her. "There, that's better, I think." Giselle began to saunter away, stepping over the pile of melted glass. "Oh yes, I forgot something." She spoke a handful of words in the language Dartz had used back on the island, summoning a pair of shadow creatures, exact replicas of the ones from Troy. "Now be good, before I decide to have the Orichalcos devour your soul early. Ta-ta, dear."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

He entered the lounge, where the continental breakfast table was set up, only to find that there was something "off" in the air. The look on Yugi's face said it all.

"Have you seen Tea?" Yugi asked him. "Serenity said she wasn't in the room this morning, and she left her cell phone behind."

Joey shook his head. "I haven't and that seems odd. That cell phone is practically glued to her. Why would she leave it behind?"

"That's the strange thing," Serenity told him. "I woke up this morning and Tea wasn't in the room, because she always does stretches when she wakes up. So I thought it was weird, but it was even weirder when I found her phone on the nightstand."

"That is odd," Joey remarked, sitting down in an available chair, worry etching his features. Despite having a biological sister, Joey had regarded Tea as another sister, one closer in age. She always managed to tolerate whatever inane and crazy schemes he conjured up, sometimes even going along, as long as it wasn't illegal, she told him once. For her to up and vanish like this. . .it was highly unusual, to say the least. He placed the sword on the table in front of him, one hand resting lightly on the hilt—he made it a personal mission to keep the weapon on him at all times, just in case. He thumbed the pommel stone, thinking. "And it ain't good either."

"What's worse, Giselle is gone," Tristan said. "Rebecca said that Giselle told her that she had to leave early in the morning."

"So do you think Giselle is involved?" Mai asked.

"That would. . ." Yugi trailed off. "No. Midas."

"What is it Yugi?" Marik leaned forward, concerned. "You know something, don't you?"

"I thought it was just a hunch. . .but I think that Giselle is working for Midas."

"That would explain those earrings," Ishizu remarked, recalling Yugi's conversation with Tea the other day. "She was disguising the Orichalcos stones as earrings."

"And the sabotaged breathing device," Joey added.

Mai turned to face him, anger flitting across her features at this. She wasn't upset at him, but rather, the woman who had the device. "The device was sabotaged?"

"Yeah."

"And her disappearance," Rebecca finished.

"Which means that this Midas guy now knows where the sword is, if Giselle is working for him," Aaron pointed out, one hand tapping the table next to Joey's sword. "And we found it for him."

"Hoo boy," Joey said quietly, looking down at the blade.

Just then, there was a ring on Rebecca's phone and she picked it up. "Hello?"

_"Rebecca?" _It was Tea, sounding groggy and frightened.

"It's Tea," Rebecca told them quietly, one hand over the speaker. Yugi reached over and snatched the phone from his friend's grip.

"Tea?"

_"Yugi!"_

"How are you? Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

_"I'm fine, I think. It's cold and dank here, and-"_ She was suddenly cut off.

"_Hello Yugi, I didn't think that you and Rebecca shared cell phones."_ It was Giselle.

"Let her go!" Yugi snarled, fury crossing his features. "Tell Midas that his problem is with me, not Tea! You want me, not her!"

_"You don't need to tell me, tell Midas."_

_ "_Midas? What did he do with this?"

_"He arranged it, not me. He is the puppet master, I'm only the messenger." _Giselle stopped. _I'll tell you what: if you meet me at the-"_ Giselle quickly rattled the street names and numbers, _"I'll let you have a chance to talk to Midas directly and maybe I'll let you get Tea too."_

"Do you think that this is some sort of game!" He roared. "To sit there and gamble with my friends' lives?"

_"The question is: do you?"_ She retorted. _"Think about it little Yugi. No matter what you do, your friends always end up on the underside of Fate's coin, never winning, always losing. Pegasus, Marik, Dartz, The Spirit of the Ring. . .shall I go on? The point is that they're always casualties. I am merely taking advantage on how the coin lands. Maybe this time around you can make sure it flips the right way." _She hung up the phone and he stared at it, stunned. How did Midas know so much about him, enough to list all the adversaries he faced off against all those years? It made him very uneasy. He mindlessly handed the phone back to Rebecca before speaking to them.

"We're going after Midas once and for all. Giselle told me that he wants to meet me. It may be a trap, so I will go alone."

"Whoa whoa whoa," Marik said. "You are speaking gibberish, right? Because there is no way none of will be willing to even think of letting you go meet this mad man by yourself."

"Seconded," Joey agreed. "Besides, if Midas tries any funny stuff, he's got this to face." He pulled the Sword of Renewal from the sheath. The hotel's lights caught on the rippled metal and it seemed to glow like the heart of a fire.

Yugi frowned, partially regretting the words he spoken. His companions and friends will follow him to the ends of the earth, if need be so to tell them that he wanted to go alone was merely inciting a rebellion of sorts. "If only you'll be careful."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cardiff was a large enough city, filled with hundreds of thousands of people, but they had little issue locating the building Giselle had said. It was an abandoned multistory building, nothing more that a hollow husk when a fire swept through it, gutting it. Apparently it was once a bustling hotel, complete with an extravagant indoor plaza, before an electrical fire obliterated its insides. They neared the building when Yugi sensed something wasn't right with Joey and Seto Kaiba. Both seemed to be on edge, Kaiba even more so, the man continuously massaging his hand. Joey had his hand clenched tightly about the hilt of the Sword of Renewal, as if trying to calm it.

"You sense something, don't you Kaiba?" Ishizu asked before Yugi could.

Kaiba scowled, displeased that he had been discovered when he spoke at last. "Yes."

Yugi, who had been leading the party, spun about catching his attention "Is it like at the ruins at Troy?"

". . .Admittedly yes."

"Then the Sword of Wisdom is here as well, or nearby, at the very least."

"That would explain why my sword's going nuts too," Joey removed the sword to make a point. The Sword of Renewal seemed to be quivering, the blade almost glowing with a quiet intensity.

"It seems like Midas is setting a trap," Aaron cautioned Yugi, hand going to the large knife he had strapped to his hip. Because of gun control laws in Great Britain, Aaron had left the weapon on Midas' private plane, stowed away in a safe place where it would take the officials hours to find even if they tried. "Designed to wipe out all three candidates of the Swords, if I were thinking like Midas."

"What should we do then?"

"Well, we simply outwit him. He expects Seto-"

"Call me Kaiba," Seto growled warningly.

"Sorry. _Kaiba _and Joey here to go after the sword to wipe them out while he deals with removing you from the picture. What he probably won't expect is for the pair of them to bring reinforcements, so to speak."

"You're suggesting that we split up," Ryou said, catching the gist of Aaron's plan.

"Bingo kid. We split up into two parts: one party goes with _Kaiba_-"

"Now you're doing it on purpose," Kaiba said.

"Who put ants in your pants? Anyways, some of us go with them, the rest go with you, to at least attempt to throw Midas and his little gal pal off guard."

"How do you suggest that we split up?"

"Some experienced duelists stay with Yugi, the rest go with Joey and Kaiba."

"I'll stick by Yugi," Tristan volunteered. "I'm pretty good in a street fight, but not a duel."

"Same here," Duke reiterated.

Joey faced Serenity. "Serenity, can you stay with Yugi? I don't want anything to happen to you."

Serenity nodded. "Stay safe."

"I will. Mai-"

"Don't you "Mai-" me," Mai told him. "I'm sticking by you. Somebody has to keep you out of trouble."

"I'll go with Joey and Kaiba too," Aaron saluted smartly. "You mind Captain?"

Yugi blinked at this. "Um, sure."

Eventually, they divided themselves up. Mai, Aaron, Ishizu, Marik, and Ryou would go after the sword, while Tristan, Rebecca, Duke, Serenity, Mokuba—under great distress-, and Sivya would stay behind with Yugi.

"Are you sure that you want to be with Yugi?" Marik asked Sivya.

"I am not a duelist so I would be nothing more than a hindrance to you," she replied. "I think I would be more helpful alongside Yugi." Suddenly, she reached out, giving him a tight hug. Marik, unsure of what just happened, froze, surprised. Then, as quickly as it occurred, it passed and Marik could not explain the flutter in his chest. "Be careful."

"I—I will."

Aaron snickered and Ishizu stomped on his foot, making him yelp in surprise.

"Okay then. Be careful." Yugi and friends began to walk towards the way of the hotel, as Joey, Seto and the others went in another direction, following Kaiba's senses.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He peered through the crack in between the abandoned hotel's doors, the glass partially melted and cracked from the intense heat once upon a time. The residual stench of burnt plastics, wood and stone filled his senses, as if he had arrived the day after the fire occurred. "Seems quiet," Yugi said at last, before nudging it open with his foot. It creaked horrendously and he froze, heart nearly skipping a beat.

"Here." Tristan went past him, opening the door and checking for anything suspicious, such as any traps or whatever Midas had up his sleeve. He stuck his head in, looking about. "Nothing looks out of place, at least as far as I can tell. I don't think Giselle or Midas have any traps set."

"If anything, he'll try to sic some nasty looking Shadow creatures on us," Duke snorted.

Sivya tightened her grip on her staff, recalling the serpentine creatures she faced in Tel Aviv. "Really?"

"Don't frighten her," Serenity scolded Duke. "We don't even know what Midas is planning."

"Which has me nervous." Yugi slid past Tristan to lead the way inside. They passed through the front foyer, the potent scents heavy. Nearly everything had been destroyed, leaving nothing but empty shells. Tatters and pieces of plaster hung from the ceiling, while the former carpet under their feet was a veritable sea of melted plastic and carpet fibers. Slivers of glass crunched under their feet and Yugi was grateful for the boots he wore, lest it cut up his feet. They finally made their way into the very heart of the hotel, which looked like a ghost town more than anything. There had once been a small indoor garden in the plaza, judging from the ruins of the fountains and the bare skeletons of whatever trees and foliage had existed. The hotel was five stories tall, with a glass ceiling from which the pale summer sun, fighting through the dense layers of clouds, shone through, highlighting the ashes that still floated lazily in the air. There were no lights, for all the bulbs had shattered from the heat, casting huge swathes of the scape in shadow. The balconies were like the bare ribs of dying beasts, a graveyard of monsters forged of wrought iron. The sliding doors were slabs of melted glass and metal spread out and dripping, in some cases, through the bars of the balcony rails. The whole ambiance was eerie and unnatural in Yugi's opinion, sending shivers down his spine.

"I don't like the feel of this," Rebecca whispered to him, her voice seeming supernaturally loud in the silence.

"I don't like it either, but we have to do this." He activated his duel disk, the lights casting harsh shadows on the nearby terraces of burnt brick and skeleton trees, the low whir of the device filling the air with the sound not unlike the purr of a cat. Rebecca did likewise and Sivya readied her staff, ready to strike out at anything that seemed threatening.

"Well, it is about time you showed up." Giselle's voice seemed to come from all them, echoing in the empty halls and rooms. There was a bright light coming from a set of stage lights, set up all about them, in nook and crannies, on the lower balconies. Giselle emerged from across them, wearing a red dress with high slits and a long black cloak with a violet underbelly that past her feet, dragging behind her, shielding her bare shoulders. Upon her brow she wore a delicate circlet of interwoven silver, an Orichalcos stone the size of a quail egg nestled in the very center. She bore a black duel disk with gold highlights, in the silhouette of a dragon. Her eyes, once a murky jade, glowed like the irises of a panther, gleaming in the dark despite all the stage lights about them. She had all the airs of a dark queen, reborn from some wicked ritual. "I was growing impatient."

"Where is Midas?" Yugi said, pointing.

Giselle shrugged. "Midas was unable to make it. He sends his regards, as he is busy. . .with other business matters at the moment."

"She must mean Atem's sword," Duke whispered.

"Or the Library," Tristan countered.

"So you lied then," Yugi said accusingly.

"Do you expect anything less?" She asked him.

"What about Tea?"

"She's fine, at the moment." Giselle snapped her fingers and two more stage lights came on, highlighting a singular balcony high above. It was Tea, tied to a chair, her mouth gagged so she couldn't shout. Flanking her were a pair of the beasts like those from the ruins of Troy, all the way down to their oil slick coats and the unusually sloped skulls stamped with the Seal of Orichalcos. "As you can see, she's currently tied up, so she can't cheer you on. Maybe you'll be able to see her when both your souls are lost to the Seal of the Orichalcos. Unlike Midas' little assassin, Tabitha, my powers with the Orichalcos go beyond the normal. Allow me to demonstrate." She lifted both her arms up, eyes closed. The air thrummed with a unnatural energy, the magical powers of the Orichalcos sliding across their skin, raising goosebumps on their skin. The entrances and exits shimmered with a pale green curtain of energy, green electricity crackling and sizzling across them. The ground glowed under their feet and with horror, Yugi could see the runes of the Orichalcos appearing, not just in its typical ring, but all over the place.

"I don't recognize any of these," Mokuba said at last. "They don't look like the ones you normally see with the Seal."

"That's because they aren't normal runes," Giselle giggled manically. "You see, they're runes of entrapment, amplified and multiplied to make sure that none of you escape and try to rescue your friend up there. Also, should Yugi lose the duel, all of you, not just Yugi, will lose your souls, thanks to the connection you all share."

"Connection?" Tristan asked.

"Our friendship, I'm afraid," Yugi told him sadly.

"Now, let's see if the coin will land on the correct side, shall we?" Giselle said, turning on her duel disk.

Yugi took a deep breath before a smirk crossed his face, his violet eyes turning hard. "I'm afraid you picked your fight with the wrong person."

"How so?" Giselle replied, raising her voice to hide the slight tremor.

"I'm the King of Games." Yugi slipped his deck into the deck slot. "And nobody ever defeats me. No matter what you do, I'll win in the end and be one step closer to defeating your master, no matter what schemes, tricks or monsters dragged from the very depths of hell he conjures up.

"So, shall we duel?"

**Yes, that was a reference to Season 0. I have no idea how to incorporate Season 0 fully into this verse, without utterly destroying parts of canon, but I'll find a way. Just pass me the duct tape and the CanonHammer, which I have dubbed just now. Excuse me while I go and trademark it.**

**Oh, and for those who noticed it, Giselle may or may not be bisexual; you can interpret it either way. Tea however, is firmly straight and **_**NOT**_** happy at the moment.**


	50. Chapter 50: Ambush

Chapter 50: Ambush

"So, are your Spidey-senses tingling yet?" Joey asked Kaiba, walking briskly alongside the CEO. Because of his connection, and uncanny sense of the Sword of Wisdom's location, Kaiba took the lead. Joey was second, relying on the Sword of Renewal's vibrations, which were growing more and more frantic, to the point where his hands were feeling numb.

"Funny, Wheeler," Kaiba said scathingly. His hand was aching constantly now, throbbing with the pulse of his heart, making him irritable and agitated, a constant physical reminded of the supernatural, which he absolutely loathed. A part of him wondered if Joey's blade could heal the ailment, but to do that, he wold have to say that he needed Wheeler's assistance, another admittance he loathed. The sword was calling him, its "voice" louder now, almost as if Critias was urging him on.

"Are we even close?" Ishizu asked.

"Good question, because I doubt this is a "safe" part of the city," Aaron said, looking about. Kaiba was leading them down an alley, passing in between abandoned apartments and businesses. From what Aaron could gather, after the destruction of the hotel, was probably the main source of income for this part of Cardiff, the people, bereft of a source of cash, packed up their bags and left. The landlords and business owners thought the same thing, boarding up their buildings and attempting to sell them to the lowest bidder and eventually, this area was left to the dogs and becoming a haven for the ne'er-do-well.

Ryou glanced nervously about, watching the rooftops and balconies for anything suspicious."Especially considering that Midas is orchestrating all of this."

"This way," Kaiba suddenly blurted out, pointing to some unknown building around a corner. "It has to be this way."

"Hold your britches there," Aaron warned them, placing a hand on Kaiba's chest, stopping him. "For all we know, it's an ambush just waiting to happen" He slid his knife from its sheath, going into a crouch. "Here, let me go first. He crept ahead of them, remaining close to the wall, eyes always watching. As he neared the corner, he gestured to Joey. "Hey, kid, come with me."

"Me, what for?"

"Because you're wielding a blooming sword and two, you seem like you've seen a scrap or two in your heyday. I could always use a wingman."

Joey nodded and mimicked Aaron's actions, hugging the wall, Sword of Renewal in hand, the other clenched into a fist. Aaron peeked around the corner, keeping as low to the ground as possible. "You see, people look at eye level. Keep below it and they won't be looking for you, get me?" Taking this as a cue, Joey crouched lower to the ground. After scanning the area, Aaron turned about, nodding curtly. "Good to go." Aaron took a singular step out, then another, until he made it out to the open. The alleyway opened out to an old, one lane road that a handful of businesses faced. It looked to be abandoned, not a single piece of evidence that somebody passed this way in a long while. A handful of bigger building, like apartments or office buildings, was up ahead. Aaron gestured for them to follow behind him. "Single file," he told them. "Less to track that way." Joey stepped out first, followed by Kaiba, then Ishizu, Mai and Ryou, bringing up the rear, his back turned to them to keep an eye out for whatever Midas sent their way.

When they were in the open, Aaron remarked. "Easier than expected." He stopped. "Too easy. . .Well Kaiba, which way?"

Seto pointed to a building a little more than a hundred and fifty yards away, at what looked to be an abandoned apartment complex. "In there."

"Should be easy enough. Lead the way." Kaiba pressed past Joey and Aaron, almost smug. When he managed to walk about fifteen feet, Ishizu called out to him.

"Seto, stop."

He froze mid-step. "What for?"

"I think we just walked into a trap."

The area grew cold, something sliding over their skin, like the scales of a serpent. The faint rays of the sun grew even weaker and the buildings were now cloaked in layers of shadows. Ryou paled. "It's magic. Very dark magic."

"But it's not Shadow Magic," Marik added. "I think it's the Orichalcos magic."

The shadows slid across the roadway, congealing and solidifying to reveal the ghastly lupine creatures from before, their jaws slavering with a sickly looking saliva, eager to devour their prey. There looked to be numerous monsters. The air was shrouded with a choking fog, not so much to hinder their sight, thankfully, but to wipe away whatever rays of the sun remained, cloaking them in the darkness.

"If the Orichalcos was a living person," Joey began. "I'd kick it in the nuts right now." The Sword of Renewal was shining like the heart of the sun, acting as a beacon to light the way.

"How polite," Mai said, already pulling for her cards before realizing how useless they had been the last time. Only direct and physical force could kill them outright.

"What's the plan?" Marik said, watching the shifting forms in the fog, their bodies occasionally highlight by the Sword of Renewal. They seemed to shy away from the Sword, as if fearing it.

"We have to get Kaiba to the apartment complex to find the sword," Aaron explained. "Therefore, we'll move as a group, shielding Kaiba from them."

"I have numerous black belts in various martial arts and fighting styles," Kaiba told him, slightly boastful. "I can handle myself."

"But unlike Joey, you don't have a sword. You're the most vulnerable, they'll be after you and Wheeler. We'll form some sort of ring about them. Joey, stay near Kaiba. When we reach the apartment building, we'll guard the entrance while you two search it. On my signal, form up and move. Alright? Three, two, one. . .move!"

Almost immediately, they shifted about, forming a vague semblance of a ring, with Kaiba and Joey in the center. Aaron took the ring, moving steadfastly ahead, massive hunting knife in hand. The first monster came within moments, lunging out through the fog. Aaron lashed out, driving the knife into the beast's ribs and stopping its advance. When the monster whirled about snapping at him, Aaron struck the beast in the neck while simultaneously removing the knife and plunging it in the creature's skull. It slumped to the ground, but as it did so, three more charged and the scene broke into chaos. Whatever plan Aaron had for them just disintegrated within moments.

Frantic, Joey began to swing the sword about wildly like a flaming brand, one that the beasts tried to avoid while going after Kaiba. One of them unfortunately caught the trailing edge of the Sword of Renewal in the collarbone. It let out a horrific, unearthly scream. The only way that Joey could describe what happened next would be by "unraveling". It was as if the shadows that formed it were pulling apart, like tugging on an errant thread on a sweater and watching it fall apart. Then, it was no longer there, not even the shadows that formed it were gone, vanished.

Encouraged, he lunged at another beast, but this one managed to avoid the blade and danced past him. Joey whirled about, shouting, "Kaiba! Behind you!" Kaiba caught the movement in his peripheral vision and spun on his right foot. Just as the creature leapt into the air, Seto stepped forward, slashing with the duel disk. The edge of the device, sliced across the monster's chest and it stumbled to the earth, it momentum gone. He watched in mild shock as the shadows knitted the wound back together and the shadow monster was whole and hale.

At least, not until Kaiba slammed the edge of the duel disk into the beast's cranium like a hatchet, all while avoiding the claws and fangs of another, which was then quickly dispatched by Aaron's hunting knife. Kaiba's monster slumped to the ground, dissolving into the shadows which had birthed it. The others skittered away, clearly caring more about self preservation than destruction.

"They've managed to back off for now," Aaron called out. "Let's see if we can get somewhere before they notice."

"Little comfort," Marik said, shuddering at the creatures. He encountered and dealt with many things in his life. These shadow creatures were still quite new and disconcerting to him. They continued to creep forward, all of them on edge, eyes nervously scanning their surroundings. Aaron's formation had since disintegrated—especially when it was so easy for the creatures to slip through. They hugged the wall of the building, so that they could not be ambushed from more than one side, a tactical error Aaron had realized when the first waves of creatures swarmed. So, a quick change in plans and they were on their way.

It was eerily quiet, the only noise was the crunch of their shoes on the pavement and the far off howl of Midas' monsters. It was as if the rest of the world no longer existed at this point, the only thing existing being the alleyway and the buildings flanking.

There was an ominous growl nearby, a deep rumbling that reverberated. Ryou swallowed; it seemed closest to him. The fog parted and the creature lunged at him from the darkness and he yelped, taken completely by surprise. He managed to fend the creature off using his duel disk as a shield, unable to use his magic. When he managed to repel the beast, he pummeled it about the head and neck with said disk, until the monster sagged to the ground before dissolving.

Mai, who had been closest, came to his aid just as the monster faded away. "You okay hun?"

"Considering that I just punched one of those Orichalcos monsters to death, I'd like to think so, never mind that it will haunt my nightmares for weeks," he panted, taking a fearful glance at the device, as if expecting blood to drip from it.

"You're speaking gibberish there, take a deep breath and they'll go away soon."

"I hope so."

The monsters would attack sporadically from then on, one or two at a time, only to be fended off by the group. By a miracle, and Mai's heel impaling the skull of a beast, they made it to the apartments building Seto had pointed to. The door had been clearly boarded up, and not just by mundane means, as Aaron had discovered when he made an attempt to kick in the door. The instant his foot had touched the door, flew backwards about fifteen feet, landing on his tailbone sharply. "Forget the Orichalcos, I'm just going to kick magic in the nuts," Aaron grumbled, walking gingerly back to the door. He was hesitant to touch it again, not willing to accidentally land in the waiting jaws of whatever creatures still lurked in the fog.

Ishizu gave the door a quick look over, fingers hovering just above the door. "It appears to have a selective repellent spell latched onto it, allowing certain people in, but not us, apparently."

Aaron nodded, still a bit of a skeptic. "Can you remove the whatever spell you called it-"

"A selective repellent spell," Ishizu corrected him.

"That thingy, from the door?"

"From what I can tell, it's quite layered, with shields designed to absorb Shadow magic, the magic primarily used by myself, Marik and Ryou here, so we can't."

"But what about Joey's sword?" Mai asked. "Dartz said that they were made to destroy the Orichalcos magic, why not this?"

Aaron turned to Joey. "Wanna give it a shot?"

"I'll give it a try, I guess." He held the sword up at chest level, so that its tip would pierce the door. It looked normal enough but once he began to jab the tip into the door, it was clear that the door was clearly _not_ normal. He could feel a faint pressure, the magic or whatever Ishizu called it, fighting the power of the blade. Eventually though, whatever invisible pressure there was faded away and the sword went through the door like a hot knife through butter, causing the young man to lose his balance.

"Well," he said at last, trying to remove the blade, "I think it worked." He managed to wriggle the sword through, taking a chunk of the door with it.

"Good." With his foot, Aaron lashed out, sending the door crashing down, the hinges, which had been somewhat rusted, now broken off. "In your face!"

"How mature," Kaiba snorted. "Just like Wheeler. You two should open a comedy club."

"I take offense to that you know," Joey huffed.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Just shut up and get the freaking magic sword already."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The complex was a three story affair, the windows and doors all boarded up, the stench of mildew and humidity in the air. There were no lights, for all the bulbs had long since burned out, some still dangling limply from their fixtures. The only light was his cell phones, using the fluorescent light to banish the dark. It did little though, to fend off the uneasy feeling that was prickling at the base of his neck. Seto Kaiba had refused Aaron's advice, to have Wheeler tag alongside him, just in case. He did not need the assistance to find the blade—not when his hand provided such a _useful_ homing device—and he certainly did _not_ need the assistance from Wheeler.

So, he trudged along through the dark, his hand sending waves of pain through his arm, to the point where it was the only thing dominating his thoughts. The creak of the staircase under his feet was nothing more than a droning buzz in the background. Find the sword, and the pain will go away, he told himself.

Just find the sword.

Seto winced as the pain spiked, forcing him to gasp and nearly drop his phone. He clenched his fist, driving his fingernails into his uninjured palm with force, in hopes that his mind can divert its attention somewhere else, rather than the burn that should have never been there in the first place. When the pain passed, slightly, he stole a glance at the palm, the burn a sickly looking color in the light of the cell phone. He furrowed his brow and continued forward, up the staircase, the rotted wood threatening to give way.

There was a harsh crack in the air, as the board under his feet splitting, splinters flying. He managed to catch himself by grabbing onto the rail of the stairs, the once lacquered wood rough on the burn. He bit his lip as he slid down, the wood chaffing horrendously. With a spurt of strength, he managed to pull himself out of the gap, taking extra care to not lose his phone, his lifeline in the dark.

Seto made it to the top of the staircase without incident, although it had drained a bit of strength and endurance from him. The hand hurt worse now, worse than ever before, like it was on fire, but he compartmentalized the pain and moved on, closer to the goal at hand.

It was a long hallway, the abandoned apartments flanking both sides like a retinue of guards flanking a funeral procession. It was quiet, somber, both of which made him feel uneasy. The hall seemed darker and colder as well, the shadows not as easily banished as before. It left him with a chill that not even the long coat could not keep out.

"A window must be open, that is all," he told himself, his voice sounding muffled in the empty hall. He drew his coat closer and continued his trek ever so solemnly, his boots scuffing along the carpet.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

". . .And just when you think it's all over, it gets worse," Aaron grumbled, knife in one hand, duel disk on the other arm and more bruises than he cared to identify at the moment. The monsters seemed to be attacking on waves at the moment and at random times, the tactics designed to catch them off guard. Thanks to Aaron's watchful eye, and the Sword of Renewal's ability to unravel magic, the monsters were kept at bay as Kaiba searched the premises, refusing any help whatsoever from them. As time passed, the monsters grew fewer in number.

"Tell me about it," Joey replied, massaging his shoulder, aching from the weight of the sword. The sword had been useful in eradicating the beasts but they were growing smarter, avoiding him whenever they were able to, forcing him to constantly move about, a shield that wields a sword. The battle field, if it could be call as such, had fallen into an unnatural lull, granting a reprieve for them.

Marik strained his eyes out into the magically induced fog. "Something doesn't seem right. It's too quiet."

"And I know we didn't get rid of them all," Mai added, keeping close to Joey. She wouldn't admit it, but she felt safer in his presence, the sword acting as a beacon. Ishizu, Ryou and Marik nodded in consent, Ishizu growing a little worried at Kaiba's prolonged absence.

Just as she spoke, the fog thinned slightly, revealing the silhouette of a monster, far worse than they expected. It reminded Aaron of the monster he, Odion and Sivya battled in Tel Aviv. It stood at least fifteen feet tall at the shoulder. It was incredibly muscular, veins protruding and shadows sliding off it like water. It had a definite canine visage, filled with wicked and jagged teeth and jutted out from underneath the beast's jowls. The eyes were small and the shade of freshly spilled blood. It lumbered forward, its foot long nails glinting faintly in the glow of the Sword of Renewal, clicking on the pavement.

Aaron peered up at the monster, awestruck.

"Well, this officially sucks six ways to Tuesday."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-

He had reached near the end of the hall when an unfamiliar feeling rushed over him. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly. It was reminiscent of a tug, something pulling him, his spirit, towards something. It was like somebody had tied a rope about his waist and was pulling sharply, dragging him along like the proverbial leash. The tugging sensation overpowered the pain in his hand and he found himself at a door, although he had no idea how he had arrived there. The door was nondescript, ordinary in color, the hinges and doorknob rusted from the years of abandonment.

Was this where Midas had stashed the weapon, in a room, in a place as shabby as this, a part of him wondered. He began to reach for the door knob but stopped, sensing a trap. Maybe this was nothing more a ruse, a plan to isolate and destroy them, divide and conquer. It was certainly apparent, judging by the onslaught on whatever those beasts were outdoors. He weighed the possibilities, but none of it matter at that moment, when his hand, apparently under its own power, reached out and grasped the knob solidly, without him even registering the gesture.

He instinctively braced himself, expecting the worse to occur-

-but there was nothing.

The hinges squeaked harshly, but the door swung inwards, revealing a room completely enveloped in darkness. The windows had been boarded up, to the point where not even the faintest rays of sunlight could pierce the darkness. The place was devoid of furniture, it was a single room, bare and dark, which struck Seto as odd, considering that someone used to live here.

His feet propelled him into the deeper depths of the room, the temperature dropping rapidly, the shadows becoming darker. The room felt to go on forever; he told himself that it was only a mere trick of the mind, but how would he find the sword in such a bleak and stygian place? The cell phone, still in his hand, did little to light the way; in fact, it was useless in such a place. He placed the phone back into the pocket with his coat and reached out with his hand, part of him hoping to find an end, a wall of some sort, here.

What he felt instead was cold hard metal, smooth and unblemished, perhaps frictionless in texture. The room lit up with a bright light, the rays shooting outwards like the supernova of a star, a thousand thousand arrows of light shattering the dark. He wanted to tumble, shield his eyes from the phenomenon, but he was glued to the spot, transfixed at the occurrence that should, by logic, not even be possible.

The light faded suddenly and the room no longer had the despairing cold feeling it had before. It looked like a regular apartment, with many rooms, and the scent of mildew faintly permeating every surface. However, his attention was not on the room, but the object that banished the dark.

It was the Sword of Widsom, shimmering in its luminescent glory, his fingers still resting on the impossibly smooth surface of the blade. The blade seemed to be levitating in the air, right at face level, as if held in the air by a thousand invisible wires. He could simply not believe it. He was mystified, stupefied even, at the sight. All those years of denial, the cynical sarcastic remarks, the snide glances whenever someone mentioned destiny, magic, came crashing down like the walls of Jericho. He was witnessing a force he could not see, could not even begin to control, right at his fingertips, literally. His entranced came to a stumbling halt as Seto willed his hand to move up to the hilt, past the crossguard, to curl about the rayskin hilt. It felt somewhat rough along his palm, for better grip during combat, he surmised.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled that he could no longer feel the burning pain in his hand. He uncurled his left hand, to find the palm unblemished.

_"Do you want your evidence?"_ He heard Critias' voice ring in his head.

"Well there it is," Kaiba muttered to no one.

He pulled the sword away from its invisible moorings and turned about, set to leave the room.

That was when he noticed something in the door.

One of Midas' creations had found him.


	51. Chapter 51: Backfire

Chapter 51: Backfire

**'Kay folks, it may not seem like it, but we're in the final stretches of the story. Since I had told you that I would publish the final two chapters on October 11, the second anniversary of this story's inception, I know had about a wee to publish the chapters between now and then, which accounts to about a chapter a day (brilliant timing, right?), so if you see a whole bunch of inbox thingies, don't think that FFN is broken, I'm just scrambling like a mad man.**

** *slow clap***

She kept her eyes firmly on the field below her, watching the duel unfold, hearing the repeated jagged barbs Giselle sent Yugi's way. It drove Tea mad, knowing that she was gagged and helpless while Yugi dueled for the souls of her, their friends and his own, all because she had decided to open the door to someone who happened to be carrying chloroform. The shadow sentinels were all but silent statues, the only signs of life, if such farcical notion could be called as such, seen in the movement of their red eyes, like lions deciding which gazelle to stalk and slaughter. She suspected that if she made a sudden movement, the creatures would pounce on her, something she did _not_ want.

So, she had to try something else.

She was slowly working the gag free, allowing her to speak and to get the now nauseating taste of cloying cotton out of her mouth. The fabric was pliable, easily stretched and moved, which was fortunate. Within minutes, she slipped the gag out, where it rested lightly on her collarbone, still knotted. Next was her hands. The rope chaffed painfully as she struggled to work the knots loose, a task excruciating in itself, since the knots were quite secure and complicated, from what she could gather. Plus there was the task of avoiding detection all together.

But she was Yugi's friend and that entailed dealing with situations far worse than merely being gagged and bound. In comparison, she told herself, this was a piece of cake.

Then, in a short span of time, despite if feeling like an eternity, she worked her right hand free of the rope, her wrist no doubt rubbed raw. She slowly reached over to the chair leg where her other hand was bound, and blindly began to fumble at the bounds, tugging and pulling every which way, hoping for a release. The rope failed to budge however, and she was forced to relent for now. She also feared the shadow beasts were getting too suspicious, judging by the expressions, their eyes flickering back to her more frequently. She would just have to wait, and formulate another plan.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The group scattered as quick as they could when the Orichalcos monster brought both its fists down to the earth, the ground trembling with the force of the blow. The monster let out a tremendous roar that made all the windows—the ones that were still intact—rattle and quake. With surprising agility, the beast pirouetted about its right heel and nearly took off Joey's head with a single back handed swing of its paws. Joey was able to duck, but not before his shoulder, the one that had been previously injured thanks to Valon, was clipped and he tumbled away, dropping the blade and screaming in pain.

"Joey!" Mai shouted in panic. The monster blocked her path, preventing her from reaching him.

"Don't worry about me!" Joey grimaced through clenched teeth. "I'll be fine!" He had to get to the sword somehow, which was lying fifteen feet in front of him, well within the radius of the monster's deadly claws.

Marik saw the situation and decided to take action. From behind his shelter near some empty crates, crouched along Ishizu and Ryou, he ran out, scooping up some rocks and debris in his hands.

"Marik, what are you doing?" Ishizu hissed, concern etching her features.

"Giving Joey a chance!" Marik flung one of the rocks, where it bounced off the monster's shoulder blade. "Hey you! Ugly!" Marik threw the other rocks at the beast. "Over here!"

The Orichalcos monster whirled about, where Marik was dancing about, waving his arms. Its lip curled, baring hideous fangs the size of kitchen knives. It lumbered forward, the ground shaking under its feet. It swung its claws, the speed unexpected, where it struck Marik on his left side, sending him tumbling away about twenty yards, where he crashed into a pile of wooden boxes.

"Marik!" Her face set in a cold fury, she summoned an onslaught of monsters, to batter and hammer away at the beast. Of course, the monsters did little, their attacks like the bite of gnats. As the monsters pecked and clawed at the beast, Ishizu ran to Marik. "Marik, are you alright?"

He groaned as he struggled to sit upright. Already, bruises were beginning to form up and down his left arm. He suspected he would be black and blue by the time this was all over. "I'm going to be feeling that in the morning," he joked weakly to his sister.

"What were you even thinking!" she scolded him. "You could have been killed!"

"I was giving Joey a chance," he told her.

She opened her mouth to protest, but froze when she saw the shadow of the monster over them, no longer occupied with Ishizu's Duel Monsters. She grabbed Marik by the waist and pulled him away just as one of its hands came crashing down, the claws shearing and shattering the wood like it had been nothing. Splinters flew and the Ishtar siblings shielded their faces, but one long splinter ripped through the dress Ishizu wore and sliced her calf, staining the linen fabric with a fresh bloom of bright red blood. She bit her lip, the pain searing. She limped away, Marik limping alongside of her, just as Aaron ran up, plunging his knife into the back of the beast's knee, hamstringing it. The monster bellowed, dropping to its injured leg. It twisted about to strike down the human who had injured it, but Aaron had already danced away out of its reach.

Joey inched forward, shoulder screaming in pain, his right arm pretty much useless. He fumbled for the grip of the hilt with his left hand and brought the blade up, the tip dragging in the dirt.

"We need to think of another plan!" Joey called out to Aaron.

"Tell me about it!" Aaron edged uneasily about the beast, hoping to strike at another weak spot. He knew the injury wasn't fatal enough to completely obliterate the beast and that it would be whole and hale soon. "We need to withdraw, back to the building!" He sheathed the blade and drew some cards from his deck. "Tiger Dragon! Draw the attention of whatever this thing is!" The monster materialized above the Mossad agent, its striped form sinuous and ferocious. It swooped down at the Orichalcos monster, clawing and hissing. Aaron shouted at Ishizu, Marik and Ryou. "Come on! Go, go go!"

With Ryou providing support, Marik and Ishizu managed to limp back to the building, where Mai and Joey followed, his arm draped across Mai's shoulders. Just as they ducked inside, the beast stood upright and seized Tiger Dragon by the wings, where it sunk its fanged maw into the dragon's sinuous neck, wiping it from existence. It then turned its attention to the building where they were sheltered. It charged forward, ramming its right side into the building, causing dust and debris to rain down as the building was shaken to its foundation. Aaron drove them further inside the building, where it could not reach them.

"We're pretty much sitting ducks in here," Ryou remarked, plucking wood chips from his clothing, his cheek cut from an errant splinter. "We have no way of getting out, at least, not without encountering big and nasty out there." Marik nodded in assent, his face rapidly turning a blotchy purple as the bruise crept up his side.

Aaron nodded and turned his attention to Joey. He gave the wounded shoulder a quick examination before saying. "It doesn't feel out of place, maybe a pinched nerve or something when it clipped you."

"It certainly feels like a dislocated shoulder," Joey replied, his hand gripping the hilt of the sword tighter. "And I know what those feel like." With his free hand, he flipped the blade up, so that the tip was aligned with the injury. He let it fall, the edge of the blade resting lightly against his body. The region was infused with a gentle warmth that spread through the area, along the tendons of the muscles and the nerves. It was like dipping his shoulder into a hot spring, the pain leeching away until it had completely healed. He did an experimental flex with it, making sure that the shoulder had healed properly. When it did, he let out a sigh of relief, realizing that the situation would have been far worse if the sword had not possessed such marvelous qualities. He pointed the weapon at the Ishtars, looking ever inch as battered like the rest of them, as if to offer the blade to them.

"What about you?" He asked Marik and Ishizu.

They shook their heads. "We'll be fine," Ishizu reassured him, taking a quick glance at her bloody calf. "The bleeding as stopped anyway and will heal soon enough." Marik exchanged glances with her, knowing full well why she had no desire to be healed by the blade. The sword had magic unraveling abilities, abilities that the Ishtars, those who have magic running through their veins, did not wish to test for themselves. It could possibly strip them of their identities, permanently. It could unravel Orichalcos magic, they did not want to see what it did to Shadow magic.

Dust fell down from the ceiling as the Orichalcos monster rammed against the building once more, reaching into the doorway with one arm. In response, Aaron leapt up and plunged the knife into its hand. It yowled and jerked away, nearly taking the weapon with it.

"We need to think of a better plan than just stabbing it and hoping for the best. It'll just keep healing itself," Ryou said, eying the now empty door way.

"We can just have Joey hit it. That will do some permanent damage to it," Marik added.

"But with its sheer size, it would be like a paper cut. We'd have to make the injury count, like one to the head or center mass," Ryou countered. "The other beasts were not as big, making an injury much more devastating."

The building shook once more.

Mai took a nervous glance upwards. "Well, we better think of something quick, before that thing brings the whole building down on top of us."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was an exact replica of the creatures in the road, Kaiba noted in the back of his mind. Its hackles were upraised as it hunkered down to a crouching position, ready to pounce. Its claws shredded the carpet under its feet as it stood about fifteen yards away. Seto planted his feet, placing the sword in front of him, memories of _kendo _training rising in his mind. As a child, Gozaburo would have both he and Mokuba study intensively in the physical arts, like martial arts and _kendo_, believing that a strong mind could only work with a strong body, probably a barbed response to his comatose son, Noa. Seto still practiced the martial arts, holding a couple of black belts—not that he advertised it—and practicing the art of _kendo_ when he could get away from work.

The sword's weight was quite different than the bamboo swords that were used in _kendo_, but he could adapt if need be. He always did. How ironic that something Gozaburo forced him into would save his life. The creature loped across the room, before launching itself in a flying leap, claws and teeth bared. Seto had barely a moment to spare when he danced to the side, avoiding the full brunt of the monster's blow. He took a sideways swing at the beast, but the abomination managed to duck under the scythe-like movements of the Sword of Wisdom. Its claws made long and jagged furrows in the carpet, pieces flying in the air as it spun about, ready to charge again. This time, it did not bother to make a running leap, using its momentum to fly into the air.

Seto seized his chance, swinging it up in time for the monster to land heavily on it, like a piece of meat on a skewer. Seto was nearly brought to his knees by the sheer weight of the monster. It let out an unearthly scream as the blade's power made short work of the Orichalcos. It made a half-hearted swipe at the CEO before being completely obliterated, the shadows that composed it being ripped apart and fading away like rags in a hurricane.

Kaiba staggered upright, blue eyes wide and unbelieving at the Sword of Wisdom's power. After a few heartbeats, he slid the sword back into the sheath he had dropped to the floor and briskly made his way out, not even bothering to shut the door. Just as he reached the stairs, he could hear voices, many of them. It was Aaron and the others.

What were they doing inside the building? Weren't they supposed to be providing protection while he searched—not that it did any good considering?

Just as he pondered this quandary, the building shook, like in the midst of an earthquake. He staggered just a bit, he feet trying to find balance, placing one hand on the wall. A piece of the stairway gave way and fell into the abyss. He jumped over the gaping hole, narrowly avoiding getting the heel of his boot caught in the crevice. He nearly lost his balance, the sheathed weapon in his hand. Just as he regained his balance, Seto saw them at last, huddled inside the building, all of them looking battered and bruised, like they had been in a war zone.

Aaron spied him first. "Nice to see you took your sweet time."

"What are you doing inside, shouldn't you be out there?"

"Not unless you want your head bitten off, literally," Marik hissed, his face a colorful mosaic of bruises. "The nasty little things turned into one big nasty thing that is trying to kill us and now we're stuck here for the time being."

"Fantastic," Seto muttered sarcastically. His eyes caught a glimpse of Ishizu's wound. "You're bleeding," he said. Ishizu wondered if she caught a little worry in his voice but dismissed the possibility as a coincidence.

"An astute observation," Marik said.

"Marik!" Ishizu hissed.

Seto turned to Joey, "Can't you heal her?"

"I offered, but she didn't want me to," Joey said."

"Do it. We can't have any stragglers."

"But she said. . ." he insisted.

Ishizu stood up hurriedly, looking every bit like her regal ancestor, ignoring the pain. "I told him I don't need it."

She could sense that Kaiba wanted to argue, just to prove her wrong, but he kept silent. "Don't come crying to me then when you can't keep up."

"Don't expect me to cry then,_ Seto."_

"Oh for crying out loud, will you stop being a bunch of bloody idiots and think of a way to get out of here before this stupid building caves in on us!" Mai shouted.

"She has a point," Aaron said. "We have to beat whatever it is out there with the swords, but as Ryou was saying earlier, we would have to hit a vital region, like the head or center mass, or as you civilians call it, the torso. Unfortunately, that thing is attempting to recreate a bad game of Jenga out there so we have to push it back, then strike."

"How do you suppose we do that?" Marik asked, gesturing towards the door.

"I would use something that could blast it back, then send Joey and Kaiba out there to hit it hard. Something like an. . ." He glanced at Kaiba's deck. "Care to unleash a Blue Eyes or two on it?"

Kaiba's long fingers flipped through his deck, until he pulled out a single, familiar card. "Do you really have to ask?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.

Tea wanted to smile in victory when she managed to get her other hand worked free of the bonds. It ached terribly, but it was a small price to pay. Now she could work on her feet. She got her left foot free of the binds when the beast to her right stirred, eyes going to her hungrily. Clearly, she had made too much movement. She began to panic, wondering how exactly she was going to wriggle her way out of the situation. _"Think fast Tea,"_ she thought. _"Think fast, think fast. . ." _The beast moved towards her and she reacted reflexively. She swung her foot out, the one still bound to the chair, dragging the chair with it. The ropes snapped with the chair's momentum, freeing her other foot and the chair flew in the air, striking the beast backwards, landing heavily against the ruined balcony. It struggled to get up, its ribs clearly affected, one of the splintered chair legs in its side.

She then twisted her torso to the left, managing to grab the other monster's jaws before they could clamp down on her throat. Adrenaline pumping through her system, she felt a burst of strength as she shoved the beast's head into the warped metal bars of the balcony. One of them had melted into a jagged spike, which she used quite efficiently, driving the spike into its brain via the right eye socket. It twitched and spasmed as the nervous system began to shut down.

Now to take care of the other monster.

It was still having difficultly standing upright, shaking its head to reorient itself. It made a lunge for Tea and she kicked out with her foot, hitting under the jaw, whipping its head and breaking its neck. Both monsters were dead now, fading into the shadows from whence the came.

She flicked off the last remnants of the rope and avoiding the wreckage of the chair, she bolted, heading down the hallway and to Yugi.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

Kaiba slapped the Blue Eyes card down on the duel disk, the white dragon roaring to life and dominating most of the space in the room. "Blue Eyes, blast it back with your White Lightning attack!"

"'Kay kiddies, better stay back before you get flame-broiled," Aaron warned. It smelt distinctively of ozone, their hair standing on end from the electricity in the air. A gout of lightning shot out from the dragon's mouth, blasting through the doorway. There was a roar of protest from the outside as the monster was pushed back a good twenty yards.

"Okay, go, go, go!" Aaron barked, shoving Joey and Kaiba out the door.

There was silence and then an unearthly scream. A moment later, Joey popped his head in the doorway, grinning from ear to ear. "Okay, things are dead, you can come out now."

Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, glad that's over with. Now, let's go see how badly Yugi's trouncing that chick."

As they were walking out, Kaiba noticed the moment of pain flash across Ishizu's face. Her eyes caught his gaze and the gained her composure once more, trying to best not to limp, the pain in her calf intense. He walked along side her.

"You're limping."

"Clearly, you're a man who gets straight to the point," she retorted waspishly. "My apologies."

"Hmph." He wasn't sure what to do; she refused healing from Wheeler and the Sword of Renewal, and he had no idea on how to even begin the most basic things for first aid, aside from CPR. He coughed awkwardly, "Here, let me." He reached out and pulled on Ishizu's arm, so that it rested on his shoulders, allowing her to place less weight on the injury. ". . .Better?"

She allowed herself a small smile. "Yes, quite actually. Thank you."

For a moment, Seto looked surprised at this, muttering, "You're welcome."

Meanwhile, Aaron shot Marik a look. "What, don't expect me to carry you."

..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-.-.

Giselle flashed a sadistic smile, flicking a lock of her copper hued hair out of her face. "Face it Yugi. There's no way that the coin will land the right way for you .You lose either way."

"You're rather confident, aren't you?" Duke jeered.

"Yeah, what makes you even think you have the upper hand in this?" Tristan added.

"It wouldn't be very wise to taunt me _boy_," Giselle warned, eyes narrowing to green slits, like that of a feline. "You see, I have Yugi right where I want him-"

"Yugi!" It was Tea, running to the Orichalcos field.

"Tea!" Yugi cried out.

"Atta' girl!" Tristan jeered.

"What!" Giselle screeched angrily. "How could you!-"

Tea smirked. "Clearly, you didn't think this through. I'm much more crafty than you think."

Yugi could see that Giselle was now completely thrown off, her plans clearly dashed and falling apart at the metaphorical seams. Just then, he heard Joey's voice, "So, did we miss the big finale yet when Yugi _completely_ whoops everybody's collective hinnies yet?"

"Really Joey?" Mai said, shaking her head. "Well Tea, nice to see you not kidnapped any more."

"Tell me about it."

Giselle paled, even more so when she saw the long object in Seto Kaiba's free hand; it was the Sword of Wisdom. "No no no!" she raged, on the verge of tearing out her hair. "Everything was going to plan too!"

"It would seem that you forgot one key thing," Yugi began, drawing a card from his deck, Mage Stone, and equipping to his Magician of Black Chaos.

"Us.

"Now Magician of Black Chaos, finish her off and win the duel!"

He couldn't watch as Giselle pleaded with an unknown voice, presumably Midas, to spare her for her failures, but it was all in vain. She collapsed, her soul gone from her, to fuel the power of the Great Leviathan. He never liked Giselle for what she did to Tea, but nobody deserved to have their soul ripped from them. The Orichalcos magic faded from the premise and Yugi went to Giselle, Tea alongside him. Both of them lifted the limp body up, so that she was draped between them.

"Come on guys, let's get her to a hospital."

** Yeah for socially awkward Kaiba! It's kind of amusing, to have him in situations in which he has **_**no**_** idea on. He may be a techno-wizard, but when it comes to people and social situations, the man's a total N00B.**

** And I wanted to reflect the characters of Tea and Yugi in that last bit. Giselle may have sabotaged Joey's breathing apparatus, kidnapped Tea and put Yugi in an Orichalcos duel while entrapping his friends, but he and Tea are the first ones to tend to the unconscious Giselle, even carrying her to the hospital. Go you, Yugi and Tea.**

** *Another slow clap***


	52. Chapter 52: To Egypt

Chapter 52: To Egypt

Shortly after they delivered Giselle to the local hospital, with nary a plausible explanation on their tongues, not that telling the truth would have had made any better sense, they headed back to the hotel to nurse their collective wounds. Many of them had bruises liberally covering their body and in the case of Ishizu, Marik and Ryou, they had more splinters in their clothes and skin than they cared to look, so much of the afternoon was spent with Serenity and a pair of tweezers plucking said splinters from their skin.

"What happened to you, did you get into a fight with the Whomping Willow and lose?" She asked, plucking one particularly stubborn splinter from Ryou's arm.

"More or less," Marik laughed weakly, running a hand through his hair, but then he discovered that it hurt too much to move.

"What's a. . ."Whomping Willow"?" Sivya asked.

"It's a big nasty tree that has the power to destroy flying cars," Aaron explained. "also I suspect that's what your stick is made from."

"My stick's made from cedar," Sivya replied, looking quizzically down at her shepherd's staff.

"She doesn't get it," Aaron said with a shrug.

"Aaron, if you don't stop teasing Sivya, I _will_ use Sivya's whooping stick," Tea warned, absently rubbing her wrists where the ropes had chafed them red. Joey, being the ever so generous one, had offered to use the Sword of Renewal on them, but she refused, stating that the injury was so minor that it would feel like a waste to use it.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Yugi inquired in concern.

"I'm _fine_, Yugi, as I was like fifteen minutes ago" she insisted.

"I was just checking," he said, almost petulantly.

"I know that, and it means a lot really."

Duke opened his mouth to say something, but Serenity stepped heavily on his foot before he would say anything _too _egregious.

"What?" he whispered, massaging his foot in pain.

"I _know_ what you were going to say." she said.

"I wasn't going to say anything, well aside from the obvious."

"Exactly. Give it time."

"We've been giving it time for over five years now."

"Okay, what are you two conspiring about?" Tea asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Nothing! We promise!"

**.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.**

He had no intention of heading back to the hotel room just yet, sitting quietly in the lounge of the lobby, watching the fountain burble and bubble away, with not a care in the world. It was cool, to be near the water, and soothing, a balm of sorts for the ugly myriad of bruise, ranging from a deep purple to an unpleasant, sickly shade of green, the bruises all in blotches on Marik's left side. It was painful to move, to even sit or lean against something. The ibuprofen he had taken earlier was not helping with the pain and from his point of view, if slightly exaggerated, there wasn't enough ice packs in the building to bring down the swelling. The plane ride to Egypt in the morning was going to be unpleasant and uncomfortable for those few hours. Maybe if he just laid down in the plane aisle like an ugly rug, rather than sitting in one of those seats. He bet that Kaiba would pitch a fit about it though.

"Marik?" It was Sivya, peeking around one of the lobby's topiaries. She had expressed concern over the bruise on his face, but he had reassured her that she did not need to fret over it. "I. . .I was looking for you. Ishizu told me that you would be down here."

He twisted about, his side protesting mightily. She had what appeared to be a small clay jar in her hands. "What is it Sivya?"

"I. . .um, she told me how you got injured earlier. I wanted to help, so I brought this." She held out the jar for him to see. It was a small jar, made of clay and enameled with blue and white patterns. It was quite beautiful in it's simplicity. It had a small lid. "It's a healing balm. I use it for bruises and muscle aches." She crept next to him on the couch, where he offered her a seat. She removed the lid, revealing a tawny hued salve. "My mother taught me the recipe when I was little. She learned it from my grandmother and well, I think you catch the idea." She looked away, almost bashful, a pale red hue rushing to her cheeks.

"Thank you Sivya." He took the container from her and gave it a look over. There were distinctive tones of cinnamon and cedar in the salve, the scents soothing to his senses. "Do I just rub it on or?-"

"I can show you how, that is. . .if you want me to."

"Sure."

Give me your arm," she told him, taking the salve from him. He offered her the bruised limb and she dabbed her fingers in the salve, scooping a small amount up with the tips of her fingers. "This will hurt a little," she warned him as she placed her fingers on one particularly ugly bruise on his bicep. He flinched as she pressed down, rubbing the salve in the sore muscles, as a masseuse would work out the knots in a person's back. "I'm sorry. . .I didn't mean to hurt you. I. . .I can stop if you want."

He shook his head. "No, I'll be alright. Keep going. . .but I have a question?"

"Yes?"

"Is it supposed to feel warm like that?"

Sivya nodded, continuing to massage the salve in. "Yes, it helps with the healing, my mother used to tell me. When I was little and I hurt myself playing with my brothers, she would take this and put it on my bruises. It felt much better afterward. Mother said you could use it when your muscles are sore too."

"I see." He watched her as she dabbed a little more salve, working it in firmly, but gently. A look of concentration was across her face, so focused she was on helping him. It allowed him to get a better look. To the outsider, she would have looked pretty enough but to him, she was well-

Beautiful.

Like the way she had a habit of brushing her long hair behind her ear, especially when she was nervous, or when she smiled, those honey colored eyes flashing alongside her smile. She had a gentleness and innocence that was leaving this world, but underneath that, she had a fortitude of steel, like the way she comforted him, or when she punched the guy as he dueled Tshilaba, or so Aaron told him in the aftermath. A gentle warrior, a reminder of the lioness goddesses of the ancient Egypt.

"There," she said at last, using her scarf to wipe her fingers clean. "That's how you do it. You can leave it in there, or rinse it off when it doesn't feel warm any more," Sivya explained.

"Thank you very much for the salve. I promise I won't use all of it," he joked half-heartedly.

"I can always make more," she reassured him.

"I know you can, I just don't want to be greedy."

"You aren't greedy, Marik."

"Remind of that the next time we go by a buffet," he teased. "I'll run people over if they have something I like. . .oh goodness, I sound like Joey."

She giggled, "I would like to see that."

"The buffet or the whole "running over people" part? Because I can assure you, buffets are not nearly as great as they sound. Except for the ones in Las Vegas, well so I've heard."

"Las Vegas?"

"Big city, lots of bright lights, people, gambling, drive-thru chapels for weddings.. . Oh, and Elvis impersonators. . ." at her confused look, he added. "You _do_ know of Elvis, right?"

"Oh course I do! I know of lots of things!"

"Good, because I dunno if I could ever explain Lady Gaga properly. She's kind of, well. . .weird, I guess," he said with a shrug.

"Mai told me that once this was all over, she was going to give me a tour of Domino City."

"That sounds like fun. You should come by the Museum, that's where Ishizu and I work."

"What do you do?"

"We deal with the ancient Egypt exhibit. It's one of the best in the country. Odion helps out sometimes too. . ." he trailed off, the mention of his brother's name bringing a pang to his heart. "Sorry."

"It will be alright soon, like Ishizu said."

"I know. . .but it still hurts."

Sivya wasn't sure how to reply to his comment, so she kept quiet. After a few minutes she spoke up, thinking about something that had been bothering her since Marik's arrival. "My brothers. . .they aren't alive, aren't they?"

"What makes you think that?"

"The news. . All the horrible things going on in Egypt. People don't like Coptic Christians very much. . ."

"Not all people are full of hate. You have to hold out for them."

She looked away, saying quietly, "I've been holding out for nearly two years now."

". . I'm going to make you a promise: once this is all over, you and I will go looking for them, to figure out what happened, to give you peace."

"You would do that?"

"Yes."

She gave him a hopeful smile. "Thank you." Impulsively, she leaned in, giving him a pack on the cheek. When she pulled away, her face flushed a deep maroon, embarrassed. She excused herself, gathering her skirts. "I'm. . .I am very sorry for that. . .I should get going." She turned about, walking away from him.

Marik sat there, the scent of cedar and cinnamon still in the air, the jar in his left hand as he absently brought up his right to touch the spot where she had kissed him. He slid down in the seat, the slip squeaking loudly as he did so.

"Marik, you're a _bloody_ genius," he told himself sarcastically.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.

The Kaiba Corp jet did not arrive into late into the following afternoon, piloted by Roland. He never did like flying the jet, but he was licensed anyways, should Seto Kaiba end up in an unpleasant situation. "Mr. Kaiba, it is good to see you again," he greeted, holding a metal box in his hands. "Are you ready to go—Mr. Kaiba, you look very tired, if I may offer my own opinion. You should rest during the flight."

Kaiba waved off the man's concerns. "I am perfectly fine."

"But I must insist-"

"I said I am fine."

Roland said nothing more, but he was still going to fly the jet to Egypt, even if it meant he had to zip tie the CEO's hands and feet together to prevent him from taking over the cockpit. Kaiba was both possessive and stubborn that way. "Ah, Mr. Muto, I have something for you." He handed the young man the metal box. "From your grandfather. He sends his regards."

"Thank you Mr. Roland." Yugi took the box, juggling it with one hand as the other fished around in his pockets, pulling out a small brass key.

Aaron leaned over his shoulder. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked, almost eager.

"Well, if you would stop breathing down poor Yugi's neck," Tea began, "maybe you could see better."

Aaron inched away. "My bad."

Yugi undid the box's latch and the hinges creaked as he flipped the dented, well worn lid up. Inside, cushioned in a bed of crushed velvet, were three cards: Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormenter and The Winged Dragon of Ra.

The god cards.

"Well, I'll be. . .," Aaron whispered in an almost reverent tone.

"Wait until you see them in action," Marik smirked.

"Now we're playing with fire!" Joey crowed, pumping a fist in the air.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

The plane was fairly quiet, the drone of the engines outside the small windows. It was night time, the world shrouded in shadows save for pinpricks of lights below, in spoke-wheel patterns or in random arrangements, symbols of civilization in Yugi's mind, how far humanity had come. It was like the plane was flying in the boundary of heaven and earth, the land and sky peculiar reflections of each other. It was oddly peaceful for him, relaxing indeed.

His fingers tightened about the metal box the god cards were contained within each time he thought of flying to the Valley of the Kings. The last time he had been there, it was a couple of years ago, when he and Rebecca assisted on a dig. The time before that. . .

He closed his eyes, recalling that day, memorable in many ways. The beginning and the end for him, when Atem faded away and he was left with a shell of himself, an emptiness he could not even begin to fulfill.

And now he would be scouring the limestone cliffs of the desolate valley, looking for Atem's tomb, lost within the annals of time.

"Yugi?" It was Tea, sliding into the seat next to him, a pair of small pretzel bags in hand. It would seem that she and Yugi, perhaps along with Kaiba and maybe Ishizu, were the only ones awake on the airplane. The others were fast asleep, their snores gentle in the night. Yugi could see Mai and Joey across the aisle, Mai's head on his shoulder, his leaning against hers, their fingers curled tightly around each other's, never wanting to let go. Amazing how time can change people. Marik was sleeping next to Sivya, her head against his chest, his fingers resting lightly in the tresses of her hair. Yugi smiled at his friends, partly amazed at how far they all had come from their younger days.

"Hmm?"

"You look a little tense. Are you alright?" she asked quietly, to not waken anybody.

"Yeah, I'm fine. . .just thinking, I guess."

"You certainly don't look "fine" to me." Tea placed one of the pretzel bags in his hand. "Here, have some pretzels." She paused. "You're thinking of Atem, aren't you?"

Yugi sighed, "Tea, you know me all too well.. .the last time I was here, it was one the dig with Rebecca. I didn't really think much of it at the time, because we were so busy, I couldn't really think about it. But now. . .I mean, the time before the dig was when. . ." he trailed off, one hand absently opening the bag of pretzels.

Tea reached out, placing her hand on his. "I know, we all miss him, but. . .but I have the feeling he wouldn't want us to continue grieving over him. He would want us to move on and be happy, remembering him not as he left us, but as he was during the time he was here. I know it still hurts some days, but I think the best way of honoring his memory is to move on, but not forgetting him. . .I'm not very adequate at explaining this, are I?" she finished with a tense, tight chuckle, almost forced.

"You explained it just fine I think," With his left hand, Yugi reached across the seat, covering Tea's. "I know I shouldn't mope over him like this; he wouldn't want me to. Sometimes,. . .sometimes it's hard not to. But it keeps getting easier everyday," he added, realizing he had reached an epiphany of sorts just then. It would get easier with time, even with reminders such as this one. "Thank you."

"For what?" Tea asked.

"For. . .for just being you," he said sincerely, watching her blush in the little light above his seat.

They sat there for a while, their hands not moving, Yugi's bag of pretzels forgotten. Not that it bothered him anyway. He would much rather hold her hand. It was clear she was not unused to hard work, for she never shirked away from getting her hands dirty, but at the same time, they were supple and soft. Suddenly, Tea leaned her head against his, smiling softly. "And thank you for being you," she told him.

Yugi's eyes flickered over to Joey, who had snorted in his sleep, before leaning in closer to Mai, allowing her to rest her head in the hollow of his shoulder, a smile on their faces. "Who knew that they would finally have the guts to say it to each other at last?" Tea mused, echoing Yugi's thoughts.

"Considering how stubborn they are, it's a miracle it even happened at all," Yugi joked lightly, a little too lightly. Mai and Joey had managed to cross a threshold that he had longed to do since high school, to actually _tell_ Tea his feelings.

"Hmmm. . ." Tea closed her eyes. "Wake me up when we land in Thebes, will you?"

"Yeah, sure."

She settled into her seat, falling asleep quickly, her hand on his.

He wished the moment would never end.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

_He realized that he was dreaming, walking slowly through a desert, he bare feet sinking softly into the delightfully warm sand. A faint breeze ruffled through his hair, the wind and across his bare arms, cooling his skin. If this was a dream, then why did it feel so real?_

_ To Yugi, the desert seemed to never end, stretching to all the horizons every which way he looked, the dunes carved from years of wind, were like gentle waves in the surf, never rising too high to overwhelm the traveler. As he continued to wander aimlessly, he realized that he was indeed lost in this never ending desert and the heat wasn't abating any time soon, judging by the sun in the sky. No wonder the Egyptians had revered the "sun disk" so much. It was the creator and the destroyer, the sentry to the rising tides that replenished their crops and the harbinger of destruction and the hot summer winds. A crown that all the gods wore upon their brows, a literal shining symbol of their power._

_ Yugi decided to sit at the foot of the nearest sand dune, to regather his strength to continue to push on, wherever that place was or even is. He had no no canteen or flask at his side and his throat and mouth felt like sandpaper. He tried to swallow but it did little to relieve the dryness._

_ A shadow fell over him and he looked up to find a man clad in teal hued armor standing over him, offering him a canteen. The man's face was completely covered by his helm. Yugi could hear the water slosh inside and was immensely grateful. "You look lost," the armored man told him._

_ "Indeed I am," Yugi admitted, taking a long swallow; to him, the cool water on his parched palate was like a summer rain in the desert. "And thank you for the water, by the way."_

_ The man let out a throaty chuckle at this. "Any traveler would be smart to carry their own water. To die out here alone in this would be a shame."_

_ The voice had a ring of familiarity about it, but Yugi could not place where he had heard it. It was deep and commanding, yet reassuring and confident all at once, everything that once upon a time, Yugi wasn't. "I don't think I'm an ordinary traveler, I think," Yugi told himself, "and besides, what is a man in heavy armor doing out here anyway?"_

_ "Well, you are lost, are you not?_

_ "To be honest, how can I be lost when I don't know where I'm going?"_

_ "Isn't not knowing where one is going the very definition of "being lost"?"_

_ Yugi pondered this. "I guess I would think so."_

_ "Then I will be your guide." The man insisted._

_ "To where?"_

_ "To wherever it is you are heading to."_

_ "But what if I don't know where I'm going?"_

_ "Then I would make a very poor guide. This way," the stranger pointed straight ahead of them, between two dunes._

_ As they traveled, Yugi felt a comforting rapport with the self-professed guide, like he had known him for years. The guide was silent and Yugi wanted to ask him of his identity, to answer why he felt so at ease about him, but the mood did not feel right at the time. And so they walked through the desert, until it was carved in two by a broad but slowly moving river. "Is this the Nile?" Yugi asked._

_ "Indeed it is."_

_ And they kept walking alongside the Nile, the water lapping at the sandy shore. The sand dunes gave away to cliffs and the two found themselves standing in front of a cliff face, a gaping hole plunging deep into this depths._

_ "This is where we must part, my friend," the knight said at last. "For I cannot go with you into there."_

_ "And why not?"_

_ "Because it is not my place," the knight replied sadly and Yugi mulled over the deeper meaning of the answer._

_ "But what is there?"_

_ "Not even I know, for I have not been there. That is for you to seek out, Yugi." It was the first time the stranger had even said his name. How could the man have known his name?"_

_ "Who are you?" Yugi blurted out at last, partly out of frustration at the man's enigmatic answers and partly out of curiosity._

_ The man chuckled once more. "After all this time, you do not remember?" The man reached up and removed his helm, revealing a heavily tanned face, his violet eyes filled with a sadness and wisdom beyond his years. The double crown of Egypt, the Pschent Crown rested upon his brow, his wild black, violet, and gold hair sticking out from underneath. The armor melted away to reveal a white kilt and a usekh collar across his collarbone. In his hands were the crook and flail._

_ "Hello Yugi."_

_ "Atem," Yugi breathed._

Roland's voice broke over the intercom._"We apologize for the sudden motion, but we have hit what appears to be a patch of turbulence. We should be through it shortly."_

Yugi jerked upright, heart hammering in his chest, eyes stinging with unshed tears. "Atem," he muttered under his breath haltingly. "What were you trying to show me?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

Mokuba had told him that he was sulking.

Seto liked to think differently.

The Sword of Wisdom was propped up against the seat, right by his left leg, within easy reach. He knew that Wheeler had decided to stash his in the compartment above the seat; unfortunately, the compartment was not nearly long enough and after ten minutes of attempting to shove it into the space—even he had to admit was slightly amusing, especially after the hilt slipped and the pommel struck him on the head—Joey gave in and placed it right next to his seat.

Seto began to mull over the epiphany he had made those couple of days ago, when he beheld the blade in his hand. He had been too exhausted to even begin to contemplate it, but now that he had time, he turned it over and over in his mind, trying to see it from all angles. There had to be some logical explanation for the incident. There _had _ to be.

It was the only way he could make sense of it and possibly accept it, rather than see it as one gigantic hallucination.

The jet jerked a little, a result of turbulence, and the pommel of the blade leaned against the side of his knee.

Clearly, it was the best hallucination he had ever encountered.

"You look like you're sulking," Ishizu remarked, standing in the aisle, smirking.

"I thought you were asleep," he countered.

"I was, but a light woke me up." She tapped the small light above the seat with a long fingernail.

"And you couldn't pester somebody else?"

"Not when they're all asleep."

"Hmph."

She gestured to the seat next to him. "May I sit here?"

"You enjoy harassing me, don't you?"

She said nothing and sat down anyways. He made an effort not to notice her, instead, turning his gaze to the window.

"Now you are definitely sulking," she said, "something is on your mind. Is something troubling you?"

"Only because you're sitting here," he said, sliding into the seat, arms crossed, like a moody teenager. "But tell me, what makes you think something is troubling me?"

"You have that faraway gaze and there is a small furrow between your eyes that appears whenever you're deep in thought or sulking, like now."

He paused, arms slowly becoming uncrossed. "You're quite astute," he admitted at last. "Usually Mokuba or Roland are keen enough to notice that sort of thing."

"Thank you. When nobody wants you around because of your gender, you learn to hide and take notice of every detail."

"Your upbringing, I presume?"

Ishizu nodded tersely, unpleasant memories resurfacing. She placed them aside, knowing that such a thing was to be expected. "Like now, Marik keeps playing with Miss Sivya's hair when he thinks nobody else is noticing," she said quietly, a smirk on her lips.

"Anybody could notice that, even Wheeler, and he's asleep."

"I an curious who you were insulting just then: myself or Joseph Wheeler?"

Seto bit back a retort, before beginning, "I guess, I guess I was just thinking," he confessed, somewhat hesitantly.

"About that, I presume." Ishizu pointed to the blade next to his leg.

". . .Yes."

"There's nothing to be afraid of, it is not going to turn into a snake or anything like that."

"You think I don't know that?" he hissed at her. She flinched slightly at the remark. "It is. . .it is happening at a much faster pace than I care to admit." He massaged his temple, trying to think.

"I was the same way too, when I first put on the Millennium Necklace. Terrifying and confusing all at once, and nobody to explain it too. I had to be inducted into the Millennial Order much younger that I should have been. For a untrained young girl, it was much more frightening than it should have been, were I older and much more wise."

"'Millennial Order'?"

"The term for all those who have borne a Millennium Item."

"Ah."

". . .So," she continued, "you are not the only one."

". . .Why am I even talking to you about this?" he asked suddenly, his tone almost biting and snide.

"Because nobody else will listen."

He was startled by this comment and maybe. . .maybe she was right. Yugi and his little friends would spout some nonsense if he even began to explain his situation and Mokuba, bless his heart, would offer sympathy, not an explanation.

Maybe all this time, he just wanted somebody to understand him.

He chewed this over, "Perhaps. But you're listening, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"So why us? Why Yugi and his friends? Why was I dragged into this mess. I never wanted any part of it."

"Because something had already begun long before the events. The wheel of Fate had already begun to spin and it does not stop until the events that had been carved into it have been accomplished."

"So what you're saying is that I was dragged into it without even having a say? Because of some nut job thousands of years ago?"

"Unfortunately."

There was a pause. "What I would give to punch this nut job in the face right now."

Ishizu let out an uncharacteristic chuckle and Seto felt oddly pleased with himself. "I think my family and I have thought that many times as well."

"Then get in line." There was another smile and once again, he felt like he won a game, a chess match, because he didn't play anything else, not even as a child.

"Ladies first." Her eyes twinkled with an energy he had not noticed until right about now. She wanted a battle of wits? Well, she was going to get it.

"Is that a challenge, Ms. Ishtar?"

Just before replied, the plane jarred suddenly and she stuck out her hand to regain her balance.

Unfortunately, what she had not realized was that it, it being her hand, had landed squarely on top of his own. Kaiba barely noticed the squawks of protests from the other passengers but instead, was entirely focused on the state at hand. Both stared at the sight with shock and she quickly pulled her hand away, a flush of pink on her cheeks, again, uncharacteristic of her.

_"We apologize for the sudden motion,"_ Roland began over the telecom. _"But we have hit what appears to be a patch of turbulence. We should be through it shortly."_

Ishizu coughed hastily. "Many apologies, Kaiba." She straightened out her dress and evicted herself from the seat with a speed that surprised him.

But he could still not escape the feeling of where her hand had landed on his own, like he had been stroked by lightning.

He promptly decided that he needed a psychological exam by the end of this little adventure.

** SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME CAMEO FOR THE WIN.**

** And also I like torturing you guys with shipping hints by the bucketful. You're welcome.**


	53. Chapter 53: The Pharaoh's Tomb

Chapter 53: The Pharaoh's Tomb

"Is it me," Tristan began, looking upwards at the clear powder blue sky above, "or is it abnormally hot today?"

"Considering that we are in the middle of the desert, in June nonetheless, I would have to say that this is quite "normal"," Rebecca replied with a half-snort, almost rolling her eyes. Did men always complain like this, she wondered.

"Yeah Tristan, shut your pie hole! It ain't like the rest of us aren't hot anyway, without all that hot air," Joey griped.

"So eloquent and sophisticated, you are," Mai remarked sarcastically.

Yugi meanwhile, wanted nothing more than to dunk his head into a bucket of ice cold water, if only to get away from the constant snipping and grousing at each other. It always seemed that hot days like this, with nary an air conditioner in sight, brought out the snidest of remarks. Tea must have caught his expression of exasperation and shot him a half smile. "What?"

"Nothing, you're normally the most patient of us and you look like you want to knock their heads in. I just find it a little, amusing, that's all."

"I'm glad my annoyance can amuse you so greatly," he replied, a smile ghosting on his lips. He could never be cross with Tea.

Ever.

The continued to beat down on them as they made their way through the sands, avoiding the crowds whenever they could. They were in the Valley of the Kings, which despite its name, housed more than just kings and certainly more than one valley in mind. The Valley of the Kings was in fact only a smaller part of a larger complex, known as the Theban Necropolis, locate on the western side of the Nile. They were west of a known area of the necropolis known as _Dra' Abu' el-Naga_, a burial ground for those from the 11th Dynasty to the early 18th Dynasty. Ishizu and Marik both believed that Atem's tomb was somewhere within the hills where many of the 16th and 15th dynasty Pharaohs were buried, the luxury of being buried in grand tombs lost to them thanks to the Hyskos in the north. The area was a bunch of hills and cliffs, away from the main complex, but not so far that they were completely lost to the ravages of time. All it had to take was a little searching.

A task far more difficult thanks to the increased guards about the place. With the recent protests, fears of losing their most precious treasures, the curators of the area had been forced to hire more guards. A situation made far more perilous to the fact that tourism had dropped drastically recently and there were rumors that there may not be enough money to pay their paychecks.

Ishizu and Marik led the way their steps as surefooted as the goats Sivya used to tend to. She was not far behind, keeping close to Marik. Aaron brought up the rear, ever watchful of his surroundings. He could not carry his sidearm, but that did not stop him from bearing his fearsome knife, one that he was more than experienced in handling. The hills were treacherous, the limestone crumbling and breaking under their feet from erosion and time. Once or twice, Tea had slipped, requiring Yugi to stabilize her before she lost her balance, or worse.

"Thanks," she told him after the second time, his hands still about her waist to keep her from falling.

"I, um, no problem?" he stammered, just realizing _exactly_ where his hands were.

"I think you can let go now."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Sorry." He relinquished his grip and wiping his palms hurriedly on his pants, wondering if the sweat was from the heat or that fact that his hands were in a very awkward, if somewhat nice place.

More than likely, it was the latter.

The party crested a rather steep hill to find themselves looking down at a small _wadi_, or valley, once carved out from the water that flowed through here. The rubble crunched under their boots—and for once, Tea had a proper set of boots—as they made their way down into the _wadi._ The area felt familiar to the Ishtars, like their ancestors had once tread this area before and as the reached the _wadi's_ floor, Yugi could sense it too. A sense of familiarity, a sense of _home._

Of course, any hopes of examining this valley undisturbed were dashed when a pair of armed guards spotted them.

"Hey!" one of the men barked in clipped English, clearly not his first language. "You aren't supposed to be here!"

"Leave!" The other one shouted, jerking the muzzle of his weapon, an older make of rifle by the looks of it, back towards the public trails that wound through the park.

"Let me take care of this," Ishizu told them quietly.

"Ishizu-" Marik began to argue but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"I apologize," she began walking, no almost sauntering, to the guards. "I only wanted to show my friends the-"

"You can show them other things," the second guard snarled. The first however, was becoming enticed by her movements. She smirked at this and coyly brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Is she _nuts?"_ Joey exclaimed, gesturing grandly at her.

"I think she's possessed," Duke added.

"Maybe it's a heat stroke," Aaron offered.

They didn't fail to see the expression of blatant jealousy creep its way onto Seto's face.

"Like what?" she asked innocently. Marik noticed the faint sheen of blue on her hands and he chuckled, realizing what she had planned.

"What is it?" Sivya asked.

"You'll see."

"Like-" The first guard began before she was on them, placing her hands at their temples. They flared that shade of blue that was exactly like the magic she used at the hangar. Both men sagged, like they were boneless, and slumped to the ground, heavily asleep.

"That was pretty cool, I have to admit, " Aaron whistled.

"How long will they be out?" Serenity asked, eying the guards skeptically.

"I suspect about twelve hours," She said with a shrug. Aaron and Marik volunteered themselves to move the men some distance away out of the heat but away from them. "Now, where were we?"

"What was _that_ for?" Seto practically hissed at her.

"What was what for?"

"_That!"_ he emphasized.

"Jealous, are you?" she countered with a sly smile.

"I never-" he began to seethe when she walked away.

"You know, this kind of sexual tension is totally normal between two people," Aaron said solemnly, one hand on Seto's shoulder.

If looks could kill, Aaron would have collapsed dead onto the ground right then and there.

Ishizu, Marik, Yugi, and Rebecca examined what felt like every inch of the _wadi's_ stone cliff faces, looking for something, anything that would lead them to the tomb. Ishizu and Marik had been positively sure that Atem's tomb was around here somewhere, but all they got was a bunch of sand and uncarved stone. The other stood awkwardly nearby, unable to assist in the search, not knowing what they were looking for. Yugi was growing more and more frustrated with the search's futility and began to wonder if they were looking in the wrong place, or if there was even any chance of there even being a tomb of Atem. He wanted to give up hope, was tempted to, when his fingers ran across some unusually smooth stone, like that of a tomb entrance.

His heart skipped a beat but a small part of him wondered if this was even the correct one. There were plenty of tombs around here, what would make this one any different, or special, for that matter? His fingers hovered over the stone, as if waiting. He wanted to shout badly, but what if it was a false alarm?

Then, something deep down told him that it was not. That it _was_ the right tomb and that he had been guided there for a reason. _"Atem?"_ he wondered. It was like there was a weighing presence on his consciousness, something he hadn't felt in years. Not since the final duel. _"Are you sure?"_ He paused, sensing approval. Yugi smiled and the presence seemed to fade away like a wraith. _"Thank you."_

_ "_Hey guys!" he shouted, waving frantically. "I found it! I found the tomb!"

"Are you sure kid?" Aaron queried.

"Positive." There was no brooking an argument and Aaron nodded. "Now help me clear the sand away."

The group knelt, brushing years of sand and earth, piled up thanks to years of sudden flash floods, bringing the earth with it. It seemed like forever but after nearly an hour, with nearly a dozen people helping, the stone was clear, revealing a stone door, hieroglyphics cut into it. "What does it say?" Serenity asked, her fingers grazing against the markings.

"I'm not an expert in hieroglyphics," Yugi admitted. "I can read them for the most part, but these look to be an older dialect."

"If I may be of assistance," Marik offered. "It reads, "Here lies the Pharaoh Atemuhotep Shedwasat I, first of his name, son of Aknamkanon,". . .The rest seems to be eroded away unfortunately. But what I want to know is why Atem's name wasn't carved away like it should have. Records indicate that to protect the two lands, Pharaoh Seth had ordered any mentions of Atem to be removed. So why is this one still here?"

"Maybe they goofed?" Tristan offered, shrugging.

"I'm not sure. . ." Marik replied absently. "But we really need to move this out of the way. Wanna give me a hand guys?" Joey, Tristan, Duke and Aaron all volunteered for the task. The stone "door" had been designed to fit snugly inside the door mantle but there was a small enough crack to fit fingers in and pull, which they did. The block shifted slowly out of the frame, the stone groaning and creaking from hundreds, if not thousands of years of disuse. When the door managed to be freed, a plume of dust and the scent of stale air and food, the latter presumably a tomb offering, overpowering their senses. A hallway plunged into the depths of the _wadi_, the stone neatly carved and painted with everyday scenes. Yugi took a peek inside.

"Beautiful," he muttered, taking a step inside, his hands brushing against the upraised reliefs on the walls. The paint was bright and vibrant, hidden away from the sun and the world, untouched after all these years. He could see the visage of Atem, or Atemuhotep, as the tomb truly called him, on the walls, in his pharaonic regalia, the Millennium Puzzle boldly around his neck. "All these years, untouched."

"Yugi!" Tea suddenly called out and he stopped, noticing that he was about seven yards inside the hall. He hadn't even realized it. "You can't be going in there by yourself, are you?"

"She has a point you know," Joey agreed.

"I feel like. . .I feel like I should do this alone," Yugi half protested, but it was too late. "I truly knew him and I feel like. . ."

"We get your point," Tea said with a half smile. Was it of sadness, Yugi wondered, or something else entirely.

"Wait. Tea, come in with me," he said suddenly.

Her face went blank. "What?"

"Come with me. You were close to him too and besides, you gave him his name. You deserve to see it too. Joey, Tristan, you too."

Both men shook their heads. "We didn't know him as well you you did Yuge'," Joey answered. "Besides there's probably mummies in there and you know what happened the last time we met mummies. . ." he trailed off, shuddering.

"Likewise," Tristan added.

"Scared of some old moldy guy in bandages?" Duke teased.

"If they're trying to kill me, then yes."

Yugi and Tea began their journey into the tomb, whatever light the tomb had now out. They were now deep enough into the hallway for the sunlight to no longer grace the stone halls with its light. Yugi pulled out a small silver lighter, flicking it to life. The small fire wasn't much, but it provided a modicum of comfort. Tea eyed the lighter with surprise.

Seeing her expression, he hurriedly explained. "It's not what you think. One of my colleagues would always forget his lighter, and gave me one of his just in case he was having a craving and he forgot his. He let me keep it after that."

"Oh, good. I can't imagine you smoking."

"Me neither."

Tea's eyes kept going to the beautifully carved walls, depicting Atem in all his glory, as the god Horus on earth, protector of the Two Lands. There were scenes of grand battle as well as ones of tranquil moments, like that of him hunting and making offerings to the respective gods. "He did a lot in his lifetime," she remarked.

"These scenes are actually common in Pharonic tombs," Yugi explained. "They're basically propaganda images, painting him in the best light possible."

"Oh."

"But it doesn't mean that they aren't true," he added hastily and she shot him a wan smile of relief.

"How long was his reign?" she inquired, pausing in front of a carved visage of him, her fingertips just barely brushing against the carved image of the Millennium Puzzle hanging about his neck.

"Ishizu thinks about seven, eight years at most. Apparently the scrolls they recovered were scrolls about his lifetime. Kind of a biography of sorts."

"So it wasn't so short, like it seemed in the Millennium world?"

Yugi reached over and squeezed her free hand, seeing the grief on her face, a twinge of jealousy going through his belly. He knew he shouldn't feel like this, especially since he and the Pharaoh were so close, but sometimes in his darkest hours, he always wondered if Tea had chosen Atem over him. "Not a bit."

Tea looked at him, the grief passing. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She glanced down at his hand, the one holding her own. "A lot."

"Oh."

"We should get going before it gets too dark."

"Right." A part of Yugi wanted to pull away and wipe his hand clean of the sweat that seemed to have magically appeared, but decided not to. They walked down a few yards further, Tea never letting go of his hand, until she stopped suddenly, pointing.

"Yugi, take a look at this."

He turned about, raising the lighter. "What is it?"

"That." She pointed at an image of their friend Atem, riding atop a chariot, a sword in his hand. However, this was not the khopesh that they were used to seeing. Instead, this was a straight edge, with the crossguard and pommel design seen on most western blades. Even more interesting was the hue the artist had painted the sword. It was a teal green, with what appeared to be fire flowing from it, a fiery brand to rally his fictional troops on the wall.

"That must be the Sword of Justice," Yugi said with a start. "So he did have it after all. They must have seen the blade like a gift from their gods, Horus, or Maahes, maybe even Montu. . ."

"Yugi, you're getting distracted again."

"Sorry," he replied with a flush on his cheeks. "But at least we know it's here right? Nobody has been in here for thousands of years."

With the fire of his lighter leading the way, both of them headed down the gently sloping hall, deeper into their friend's tomb. The hallway would be built at a steep angle at one moment, only to gently rise once more. Yugi suspected that this was because of the layers of rock and stone in the _wadi_, the builders exploiting the layer of limestone. The fire of the lighter seemed to bring the carvings to life, the shadows dancing upon their features, the silent and eternal faces of the gods peering down on them, judging them and their movements.

The hallway, which in total was about two hundred yards into the stone, opened up into a large chamber, painted and carved with hieroglyphics and images everywhere, even on the ceiling. The ceiling looked to be a starry sky, accurate down to the constellations and the movement of the stars and planets. "This is simply marvelous," he proclaimed, his praises discordant with the silence of the tomb. At one end of the chamber was a doorway, with the image of a hawk, presumably Horus overhead, along with Wedjat and Nebkhet, _The Two Ladies_ and the protectors of the pharaohs. To their left was a squat stone table, made of black granite, a stone depression carved into the top, like a bowl. Yugi wandered over to it. "This must be where they left him offerings."

"Offerings of what?" Tea asked, her eyes still upwards.

"Like food, beer, trinkets and what not. They wanted to keep the Pharaoh happy and content in the afterlife you know."

"I see."

Yugi ran his fingers across the richly carved surface which was relatively free of dust and sand since the tomb had been tightly sealed or thousands of years. Tea walked behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "The sword, remember?"

Yugi shook his head. "Sorry about that. This must have been how Howard Carter must have felt, seeing Tutankhamen tomb for the first time. And you and I are the first ones, and probably the only ones to see this."

She smiled at this and tugged him along to the next room, the eyes of Horus watching over them.

The next room was where Atem's earthly possessions were kept, as well as others. The firelight reflected off the myriad pieces of gold, from jewelry and weapons, from a life sized chariot to a chair, inlaid with gold, carnelian, enamel and lapis lazuli. Tea picked up a _shabti _ carved from sandstone. "These must be worth a fortune," she remarked.

"I don't want anybody to be selling his things to some collector or a museum," Yugi practically growled, looking among the treasures for the Sword of Justice. "I want them to stay where they are at."

"Agreed," she said, placing the _shabti_ back where she had found it.

"It's not here," Yugi said, sounding distressed.

"Could it be buried with him?" Tea offered and Yugi paled at this, realizing that if this were true, he would have to break into the sarcophagus, to peer upon the mummy that was once inhabited by his friend the Pharaoh. A disconcerting scenario to say the least and one he had no desire of encountering.

"Maybe," he said at last, disheartened. "Let's keep looking."

They made their way into another chamber, this one quite sparse in comparison to the luxury that was in the previous one. The walls, like the rest of the tomb complex, were richly carved in painted in vibrant colors. In the center of the room was a large container built of stone, the sides carved with hieroglyphics. A lid of inlaid enamel and precious metal rested atop. Yugi skidded to a halt, the lighter glowing cheerfully, oblivious to their heartbreak. Yugi took halting steps forward, one hand out stretched. He felt the cool metal under his fingertips, traced the hieroglyphics atop the lid. At first, he wondered if he had stumbled upon the false sarcophagus which was common back during the time period, but viewing the metal and semi-precious stones, he realized he was wrong.

He sank to his knees, hands on the sarcophagus lid, and buried his face in his arms as he began to weep. It was that moment, when one realizes that the passing of a loved one is truly final, when viewing their gravestone for the first time, knowing that their body is lying there, that they won't speak any more, their heart has stopped beating and their spirit has passed on, leaving their loved ones behind. It was that moment that Yugi realized that Atem was gone, had been gone, for a very long time and that for the first time in thousands of years, the body was reunited with the spirit, the _ka_, Atem's _ka. _It was then that Yugi made the realization that yes, Atem was once a man like him, had walked the sands of Egypt, had breathed, had spoke, had ruled and made mistakes, that he was a human being and not merely a apparition living in a golden puzzle.

It was humbling and heart rending all at once.

Tea, meanwhile, crept up alongside him and without saying a word, wrapped her arms about his shoulders, resting her head on his, and wept alongside him. After a few minutes of wordless sobbing, Yugi removed his head from the cool stone, his eyes puffy and red, nose like a ripened cherry. "I'm, I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"For you know, crying like that."

"There's nothing wrong with that. We all need to grieve." For a moment, Yugi couldn't see her face, but only because the lighter had gone out when he collapsed in front of the sarcophagus. He hastily flicked it back to life and Tea's wide eyes stared back at him, teary, with a few tears that had already streaked down her face, leaving behind their watery trails. He absently reached out and with his thumb, caressed away a tear resting on her cheek.

"I guess," he replied slowly. He thought he had let his grief go all those years ago, but it would seem that the pain still resided, buried away under the surface. He paused, catching a glint of something on the wall, the firelight catching off of it.

He stood up slowly as Tea seemed to catch on, her eyes flickering to the same spot on the wall. "Yugi. . ." she trailed off as he walked closer to the wall, his free hand outstretched.

Upon the wall, there was a life-sized bas-relief carving of Atem, clad in the Pharaonic trappings, the crook and flail clutched in one hand across his chest. His other hand was away from his chest clutching a sword still within the scabbard, the leather untouched from erosion and wear; however, this was not a carving of the sword.

It was the real thing.

The artists of the tomb had managed to place the sword into the wall, making it one with the art. Yugi halted just inches from the sheathed blade. He gripped the pommel stone of the blade and began to wrest the sword away from its resting place in the wall. The sword was stubborn, refusing to budge and it took Yugi a few minutes to work the hilt free from the wall. With a mighty yank, he managed to wrest the sword free. He wordlessly handed Tea his lighter and she held it as his fingers tightened about the hilt. He pulled the blade, the metal hissing as it slid across the leather. The metal was similar to both Kaiba and Joey's sword in that it had the same rippling effect in the metal, Damascus steel it was called. The metal was dyed with the bright green color like that from the pictographs in the hallway. It looked to be glowing, the way the fire from the lighter.

He couldn't help but shiver when Tea leaned close, whispering reverently, "It's beautiful." Her breath ghosted across the skin of his neck and cheek.

"It is." He sheathed the blade once more, the enormity of the fact that they had managed to foil Midas at his own game beginning to weigh down on his shoulders. That, coupled with the fact that the last person to wield this blade was Atem, made him want to sit down, absolutely gobsmacked with the current reality facing him.

"Now what?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Now we bring the fight to Midas," Tea replied.

** Okay kiddies, it's a crapton of history time. Yes, **_**Dra' Abu' El-Naga**_** is a real place, located within the complex known as the Theban Necropolis. It was reputed to be the burial site of nobility and Pharaohs of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Dynasty, which is where I place Atem's reign to be, thanks to the Turin Royal Canon, a document which has a list of all the Pharaohs from Khemet's founding all the way to Ramessses II. As for Atem's "name", it is inspired by the numerous names the Pharaohs would have, five in total. Since it would have been overly complicated to have him have all five names carved into the tomb entrance, I stuck with what is known as the **_**nomen. **_** His name is somewhat extrapolated from the real life names of the Pharaohs and it means, "Atemu is content, savior of Thebes". **

** Yeah. . . . As for the other references, **_**"The Two Ladies"**_** refers to the winged cobra Wedjat and the vulture Nebkhet seen on the crowns of Egypt, protector goddesses. Designing Atem's tomb was much harder than expected, because the tombs of both the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Dynasty were not that thoroughly researched. So, I did a pretty simplified plan, with a long sloping hallway heading down, opening into a set of three/four chambers. The first is the chamber where visitors would leave offerings to the Pharaoh, like food and beer. Once, when a Pharaonic tomb was being uncovered, an archeologist found a jar of honey within (the honey was still edible, BTW. Crystallized beyond belief, but edible). **

** The next two chambers were both a treasure room, so the Pharaoh wouldn't be bored or without help in the afterlife and a false burial chamber, complete with a fake sarcophagus, to trick any would be robbers. The final chamber is the actual burial chamber, where a large sarcophagus would be placed, usually within a stone box. There would be a smaller sarcophagus within, followed by the funerary mask. Then there would be the body, wrapped in multiple layers of linen with small amulets of protection tucked away between the layers.**


	54. Chapter 54: Closure

Chapter 54: Closure

The sky was beginning to darken when Joey began to pace anxiously back and forth. "What's takin' them so long?" he asked, running his hands through his hair. "What if they're in trouble? Should we go and check on them? What if there are mummies-?"

"Cool your jets Joey," Mai replied, sitting against the cliff walls of the _wadi_ her water bottle in hand. "Yugi can take care of himself you know. He _is_ the King of Games after all." She smirked when she saw Kaiba's hand involuntarily twitch as she said the latter part.

"Besides Joey," Marik yawned, "mummies don't exist."

"Clearly, you haven't hung out with us long enough," Joey muttered under his breath.

Before tensions among them could reach any higher because of the heat, Duke spied a soft glow emitting from the tomb. "Well, the good news is that you don't have to go charging in there waving your sword wildly," he joked weakly. "Because I think Yugi and Tea are coming out now." As he said this, Yugi emerged first, eyes blinking as they acclimatized to the bright sun. Strapped across his back was a long bundle, which one could only guess was the sword. Tea followed him shortly thereafter.

"Hey! You did it!" Joey crowed before trapping his much shorter friend in a headlock.

"Joey. . .can't move. . ." Yugi gasped, squirming in his grasp.

"Oh, sorry."

"Care to share with the rest of the world what you have there?" Aaron drawled, eying the pommel stone peeking up from behind Yugi's right shoulder.

"Yeah, no mummies right?" Rebecca teased, nudging Joey in the side.

"Hush pipsqueak."

Yugi nodded wordlessly and after a few moments wrangling with the scabbard and strap, he removed the blade , holding it reverently in his hands.

"So that was what Atem used in battle," Marik whispered, noting the subtle patterns in the watered steel. "I can see why they thought it was a gift from the gods."

"Yeah. . ."Yugi trailed off, his reflection staring back at him. In that singular moment, it was not his own face staring back at him, but rather Atem's, the fierce violet eyes seemed to bore holes into his soul, the almost eternal weariness that surrounded him as a palatable aura. Then in that moment, the image shifted and he saw himself once more.

He saw a flash of red in his periphery and realized that Joey had drawn his blade as well, resting the tip on what had been Atem's blade. Yugi saw the lint of determination in Joey's eyes and he flashed him a quiet smile, the kind that was shared between friends.

Meanwhile, Kaiba stood on the edge of the group, unsure. At both Mokuba and Ishizu's insistence, he was forced into carrying the blade, the blade that had burnt him once upon a dream. He saw Joey take a step forward and lay his blade on Yugi's and suddenly, the battle from Dartz's vision loomed large in his mind, how the three men, Timeaus, Critias, and Hermos had crossed blades as comrades that one final time before charging to their doom. Was this scene a moment of deja vu? Were they fated to follow in the same footsteps?

He snorted. Of course not. He didn't believe in such petty nonsense.

So why were his feet propelling him to the other two?

A part of him wanted to skid to a halt, like a deer at the edge of a cliff, but at the same time, a gnawing feeling was plaguing him.

A feeling of belonging.

So when he pulled the sword from his belt and rested the tip atop Joey's, he did not receive any questioning looks, nor any scowls from Wheeler, but rather knowing smiles from the two men and for the first time in a long time, Kaiba felt a sense of "wholeness" settle over him. It would be unlikely for them to become "best friends forever" or whatever Tea occasionally spouted, but it was enough for now.

At least, until Aaron interrupted the proceedings.

"I'd hate to spoil the whole "knights of Camelot" vibe but it's getting dark and I do _not _want to be stuck out here after dark, especially with our two guard buddies Dopey and Sleepy over there."

Yugi coughed and placed the sword back. "He has a point but first, I want Atem's tomb to be shut. I don't want anybody coming around here."

"Of course," Ishizu replied, bowing slightly. Yugi was taken aback by the gesture and the feeling confused him. Was she fulfilling Atem's final request, was she talking to him, or some combination of the two, Yugi acting as the vessel for Atem's last command?

He suspected that neither of them would have the answer for some time.

It took a few minutes for Duke, Joey, Tristan and Aaron to push the slab of stone back into its original place, acting as a seal from the outside world. It looked out of place there, with the sand and dust no longer obscuring the hieroglyphics. Yugi paused in front of the door, branding the pictographs in his mind, so he would never forget. If Atem were here, seeing this, he would tell Yugi to move on, as he had done once, before he went to the other side. He hastily rubbed away the tear that was threatening to trickle down his cheek. This would be the last time he would eye Atem's tomb and then, when he left, it would be left to the elements, to be forgotten by the outside world. They had forgotten his name before, surely it wasn't much of a stretch to forget his resting place.

He took a deep breath. "Nobody deserves to be forgotten."

"No, they don't." It was Sivya, Marik's friend. In her hand she held a handful of dried flowers, presumably from her leather pouch, Yugi wasn't sure. He took a step back as she knelt in front of the door, placing the flowers on the earth.

"I may not have met this person," she began. "But he seems really important to all of you. Nobody deserves to be forgotten but that is why we're here, right? So that he isn't. That is the most important thing, to never forget the ones you love." A gust of wind blew through the canyon as she finished and the flowers were carried away by the wind, soaring upwards from the updraft, until they were lost to view. Sivya watched the flowers fly off, when her eyes caught Marik's. He seemed to have a sort of strange smile on his face, a mixture of sadness mingled in with something else, his eyes fixated on her. When they locked eyes, he coughed hastily and looked away, a touch of red staining his cheeks.

"See? The world hasn't forgotten." Sivya stood upright, brushing the sand from her skirt. Spying the expressions on her compatriots' faces, she flushed. "This was what we did for my parents. . .when they passed on."

"Don't be embarrassed," Yugi reassured her. "And thank you."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

The hotel they stayed in was among the best in Luxor, thanks to the near bottomless depths of Mokuba's credit card, again much to Seto's protest. The beds were soft and the sheets like silk across their skin and yet despite all of this, Marik kept tossing and turning, unable to sleep, the scene in front of Atem's tomb seared in his mind, how Sivya knelt by the tomb, placing the flowers and how bright yet sad her eyes looked when she watched the wind carry them away, a scene that he suspected that she was far too used to. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was like the one he had when she had kissed him on the cheek and while it was strange, it was not unpleasant. Rather, he liked the feeling it gave him. If his older self had encountered his younger self and discussed this, he probably would have been laughed out of existence, but not before getting the brunt of the Millennium Rod's power.

_"I must be like a fine wine,"_ he told himself, _"getting better with age."_

Was this what being in love felt like?

Once upon a time, Marik thought he was in love, with Tshilaba, but as time eclipsed, he realized that he was not in love per say, but rather "in lust", with no substantial foundation of friendship and trust supporting it. A suspicion validated when Tshilaba tried to kill him all those years ago. So, he had no true basis for love. He loved his sister and brother, and he loved his job, despite spending entire days staring at scrolls, but that was a different sort of love. Those kinds of feelings were expected for the most part.

This was wholly and truly new and terrifying.

He had to see Ishizu about this.

He eased himself out of bed, careful not to disturb Ryou and Tristan and picked up his room key on the nightstand, slipping out of the room under the cover of darkness.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

Ishizu learned to distrust late night door knocks. Typically, they meant that something awful had happened. Like when Odion had told her of Marik's initiation, among other things. It was either that or Marik was suffering through a personal crisis of sorts. He had gone through them frequently shortly after Battle City.

She adjusted her reading glasses and peeking through the peephole, she could see Marik on the other side, looking agitated his hair mussed like he had been frequently running his hands through them. She opened the door, asking "Is something bothering you again?"

Marik looked surprised. "How could you tell?"

"I've learned that late night knocks mean something bad or you're having a personal crisis."

"That bad huh?" he chuckled weakly.

"I'm your sister, I'm supposed to know these things. Come in." He flopped down on her still unmade bed—for she had been reading at the desk when he knocked- and sighed dramatically. Clearly, it was a personal crisis.

"Ishizu, I think I'm going mad."

She momentarily panicked. "It's not your dark side-?"

"No no no! I don't mean it that way. I mean like I'm going crazy. I think it's a good kind of crazy, but I' not sure. There _is_ a good kind of crazy right?"

"Marik, you're babbling."

"You've been in love right?"

Ishizu hid a smile. "So that's what is bothering you then."

"I mean, every time I look at her, I get this funny feeling in my chest and I like being around her, _a lot_, but I know she wants to find her brothers and—I truly _am_ going crazy. You need to lock me up in an asylum or something like that. But not Arkham Asylum, they're full of crazies."

"I can assure you, you're not going mad. This is quite common actually, when you have powerful feelings like this."

". . .To be honest, I was hoping you'd tell me that I was nuts or something, not that."

"I am only being honest."

"Okay then, what should I do?"

"Tell her. Tell Sivya how you feel. I suspect that she feels the same way."

"Ishizu, she's seen the worst side of me, my dark side my darker half. I doubt anybody would want to be around me after all. I did horrible things in my life and. . .and she deserves someone better than a former criminal master mind with a evil side that's crazier than a bag full of cats."

"Marik, let me tell you something."

"And what's that?" he asked almost dejectedly.

"You told me that she was there at your darkest and yet she didn't abandon you. She stayed by your side, wanting to join you. If she didn't care about you that much, then I think that she would have left you a long time ago, to find her own way rather than sticking by you."

"But that's just how she is. She's always kind to people, like at Atem's tomb. Maybe she was too nice to say anything—"

"I highly doubt that. I believe she stayed because she harbors feelings for you as well. Why else would she be more comfortable around you instead of Aaron or I, for example?"

". . .So am I crazy?"

"Crazy in love." she smiled at her own joke.

"That was horrible, sis."

"I still have every arsenal known to man for a battle of wits with you my little brother."

"Honed by dueling with Seto Kaiba?" he teased, the levity of the situation rapidly dissipating.

If Ishizu had been off put by Marik's jibe, she didn't express it. A mischievous twinkle flashed in here eye. "Come here you." She reached out for her younger brother.

"Ishizu! Hey! I'm super ticklish, remember? Ahahaha stop it! Sis!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

The hospital was quiet as he roamed the halls, his long robes giving him the impression of a wandering spirit, forever imprisoned on the mortal plane. But Dartz was no deceased spirit. He was only a mortal man, making his way through the world to atone for his thousands of sins. With Midas gone, presumably to seek out the blades, Dartz was free to wander the halls of the island's hospital wing, thinking.

So many souls, whisked away by the Orichalcos. Was this the agony he inflicted on those in his way, in his deluded quest to purge the world of sin? His heart ached as he thought of those thousands of years, waging a war that should have never been waged and now the war had reached the final stages, whatever plans Midas had coming to fruition. Dartz had thought that he was one step ahead, revealing Midas' game plan to Yugi and his compatriots but Midas had found out and vanished, upping the ante, so to speak.

One of the doors of the wing creaked open and Dartz, curious, took a peek inside and his heart sank. A young man, with wild brown hair was on one of the beds. "Oh Valon," he whispered harshly. Midas had managed to drag one of his former Swordsmen into this and Valon paid the price. He entered the room, heart aching in mourning. Valon was not dead, but now he was an empty vessel, waiting to be filled once more. Dartz pulled up a chair and sat in it, watching Valon's chest rise and fall, the heart monitor pulsing in time with his heart.

Midas was clearly sending a message, using the young man like this, nothing more a pawn in his long game, but then again, Dartz had too, once upon a time. Except Dartz was able to realize the enormity of his mistakes. Midas had, or will, not.

What was he to do? He no longer had the magical strength to take on Midas face to face, not without killing himself from overexertion and it seemed that every step Dartz did, Midas was one step ahead.

Or was he?

Unlike Midas, Dartz had dealt with the Swords of Justice, Wisdom, and Renewal. He knew how they worked but Midas did not. But was it strong enough to take on the Heartstone, especially after thousands of years? That was what Dartz was terrified of, that the swords would not be strong enough to obliterate the last bastion of the Orichalcos. Not even the Egyptian God Cards would be able to withstand the full night of the Orichalcos. There had to be another way, a way to imbue the swords, or the vessels with power, enough to defeat the Orichalcos once and for all, something that he failed to do so.

He stopped. Perhaps there was a way. A Transfer of sorts on the ultimate scale. Not one of power, for power could be easily wasted if not utilized to its fullest potential-

-But a transference of souls.

A plan was formulating in his mind as he began to mentally calculate how one would attempt such a feat. It could be possible, if the right parameters were in place, the proper loci to channel the souls into. First though, he had to attempt a spell, one that would confirm the first stage of his plan. He stood upright , rearranging his robes, placing his hand on Valon's all too pale one.

"I am sorry, my child, my Swordsmen." He whispered haggardly before exiting the room and the wing itself.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

Dartz crept into the room that had once been Midas' office. He needed the proper supplies to work with his spell and Midas, a known magic user, had them. He went past the main room, into the one that had been barred by a thick oak door. The door swung in and he entered, feeling the thrum of magic under his feet, a vibration of the Orichalcos, one that resonated painfully. If he stayed long enough, the thrum would have been too much to bear. To be around the Orichalcos in such close proximity was excruciating, so he had to make the trip quick. He grabbed a bowl to be filled with water, chalk, candles and a hunk of clear quartz crystal. He hurriedly exited the room, shutting the door behind him before the Orichalcos could put him through any more agony.

He went to the roof of the building, to a empty patch where he presumed that helicopters landed. He placed the wooden bowl, now filled with clear water, down and set to work. He placed the crystal in center of the bowl, so that the point of the crystal was just an inch or so above the water, the smooth edged reflecting the darkening sky. Next was the candles, all seven of them, lighting one with a singular match, then lighting each after that with the previously lit candle. The gesture may have seemed small, but it formed a sense of unity, all the better for a magic spell. With the candles placed equidistant from each other, he began his work drawing in the circle with the chalk, inscribing the runes as needed between the three rings, when the circle was merely inches from closing, he stepped inside the ring, careful not to smudge the inscription and drew in the seven pointed star, connecting all the candles. He then sealed the ring behind him, effectively closing him within the circle.

Now came the difficult part.

He knelt at the bowl, his hands outstretched and hovering only a few inches from the protruding crystal point. He closed his eyes, imagining his target in his mind's eye, simple enough considering that the last spell Dartz had enacted involved the young man in the proceedings. He began to chant in his mother tongue, the root of all ancient languages and the chalk drawn lines took on an eerie pale blue glow, which grew brighter and brighter until the light obscured his figure from an outside view. The water and crystal took on the hue of liquid argentum and in his mind's eye, he could see the images he needed to see. Yugi and his friends, sitting at a hotel lobby in Luxor. They were weary from a long day he could tell, but it was not the emotional state he desired to see.

He scanned the image closely and spotted the pommel stone peeking from Yugi's back. Despite attempting to be emotionally unattached to the spell, he could not contain the feeling of his heart leaping to his throat. Yugi had done it, he had found the lost Sword of Justice. Upon closer examination, he could see that both Joey and Kaiba had their respected blades as well, although Joey seemed the most comfortable with his.

They had done it! They had managed to defeat Midas at his own game by obtaining the blades before him, depriving the mad man of one of his most potent tools. Dartz let the spell fade and the mystical blue lines becoming nothing more than the ordinary lines of chalk they had been. Dartz sagged in exhaustion, his brow in a slick sheen of sweat and heart beating rapidly. Without the magical reserves the Orichalcos had given him so long ago, even the simplest spells were becoming more and more tiring and the recovery time between spells even longer than before. Perhaps it was from age or from simply the permanent depletion of magical reserves as time passed, but Dartz knew he had little inner magic left. A fitting punishment for one who readily relied on magic for insidious purposes he had once told himself. He looked inwards to gauge how much he had left. If he depleted all his reserves and then some, it would kill him or worse, render him completely magicless. Neither fate he wished to have come upon himself. There was enough for one final spell, perhaps the greatest spell he could ever conjure up. It would probably kill him yes, but it was such a minor sacrifice compared to letting Midas unleash the full fury of the Heartstone.

He knew what he had to do and he prayed that the Dominion of the Beasts would allow him to. He would have to find a way to commune with them

He tidied the scene, blowing away the lines of chalk and dumping the water from the bowl. After a moment's hesitation, he pocketed the quartz crystal, already thinking of ways to utilize it in the future. He left the bowl and the candles, now nothing more than sputtering piles of wax, there, a poignant reminder to Midas that he was not the only magic user.

For Dartz would put all of his abilities to play even if it meant killing himself.

But at least he could see his family again.

** . . .And Marik figured it all out finally. Give that man a cookie!**

** One of the things I would like to express is that Dartz is not suicidal in any way. While yes, he misses his family dearly and he understands that there is always a price to pay for powerful magic, he is not doing it because of suicidal tendencies. If he were suicidal, he would have killed himself before these events.**

** Just putting that out there in case anyone should get a wrong idea.**


	55. Chapter 55: The Library of Alexandria

Chapter 55: The Library of Alexandria

**Because I'm an odd duck, I put a bit of an Easter egg of sorts in this chapter; see if you can find it! Mwahahaha.**

** Ha.**

Midas could feel a twinge of pain in his chest as he walked the hauntingly quiet halls of the Library and it was not from the bronze dagger that had been plunged into his chest only a few days before, a wound that had since healed, leaving nary a trace behind. Scrolls and books filled the shelves that soared towards the dark ceiling above, while torches in the walls and mounted in braziers lit the place with a warm and soft glow. This place was a throw back to everything modern and new in the world above. This was the true library of Alexandria, not the farce of a library that was above ground. While the ancient records had told of a fire that ravaged the original library, destroying most of the valuable scrolls and books, Midas knew that it was far from the actuality. In truth, at the time of the fire, the vast majority of records had been already moved to the underground catacombs that had been in the Tombkeepers society for thousands of years. The act of moving the scrolls away from the grips of the Roman Empire had been an act of defiance and when the fire happened, the Roman citizens ignorantly believed that nearly all of the scrolls and records had become nothing more than ash and dust, when they were under their noses the entire time.

It was amazing how much ignorance sullied the history of the world, Midas thought as he perused the scrolls. It was true then, history was written by either the winners or the very rich.

Midas just happened to be both.

The man in particular was looking for a book, a very specific book, one that had been hidden away for thousands of years, in fear of its powers being unleashed upon the world. The Millennium Spellbook, the very same one that had cursed him with his immortality all those years ago, when civilization was still young and the so-called mighty Roman Empire was nothing more than a little hamlet of huts, if it was even that then. It was to be a fitting end, he deemed, using the book that cursed him to resurrect the city that would take his immortality away from. Then the Field of Reeds would be waiting for him as it should have been all those thousands of years ago.

But first, he had to find it.

The Imhotep was being of little use, only allowing him access to the Library and nothing more, not even guiding him in the correct direction. Even more frustrating was the fact that Midas had to wait a few days before he could enter the Library, the Imhotep giving the excuse of bureaucracy. Either the Imhotep was being insolent—highly unlikely since Midas had nearly killed him earlier—or the fool truly had no idea where it was. Midas made a mental note to be wary of the Imhotep. The man was like an eel, slick and ever flexible. It could be that Midas could be waking into some kind of trap, but again, it would be unlikely.

The Millennium Spellbook was a powerful thing supposedly a gift to the gods at the dawn of Khemet, when the gods ruled as Pharaohs, but then lost to be found once more by the mortal man. There would be an aura of ancient magic surrounding it, layers and layers of protection spells shielding it from those who were not meant to gaze upon it. According to the records, only one spell was utilized from the book, but that one simple spell had disastrous consequences and thus, the book was put away, the Pharaoh forbidding all priests save those of Thoth, to gaze upon the hieroglyphics within. Then, when the Hyskos made their downward press into Upper Khemet, the book was hidden away, before finally being transferred to the custody of the Tombkeeper society, where it has remained since.

The magic woven about it would be like a beacon to those sensitive enough to the subtle magics, but because they were so ancient, the "threads" of the spells have faded, even as the spells have become stronger with time. To detect the location of the spellbook that way would be all but impossible but there was another way to find it, Midas knew. When magic was inflicted on another human being, whether on the mind, the heart, or the soul, depending on the nature of the spell, it leaves an indelible mark on the person, one that lasts a lifetime until the person passes on or a way is found to remove the mark. This mark creates a connection that connects the victim to the caster, a bond that acts both ways, making it easy for the caster to track the victim and somewhat easy for the victim to find the caster. Even more so if the victim knew how to amplify the "mark" and therefore forge a stronger connection.

In the case of Midas, the mark was both physical and spiritual.

And the caster was not a person, but rather an item.

He inhaled deeply, concentrating the energies that resided in him. In thanks to his benefactor, his powers had been increased tenfold, but it did not hurt to go through the beginning exercises that his tutors once taught him in the temple. With one hand, he gave the silver ring a twist, unlocking some of the energies contained, while his other hand went to his golden mask, then one that had been form fitted to his face. This was to be the most difficult part of the whole ordeal. The mask rested lightly in his hand and his scarred features twisted in agony. He had to shunt the pain aside, for to focus on the pain would to lose focus on the spell, wasting all that energy expended. His world shifted drastically as he began to chant, dropping the cane and mask to the floor as he raised his hands.

He no longer saw the room about him, the shelves filled with scrolls and books as tangible things; instead they were ley lines, traces of magic and the pulsating of life. There was a reason that the Library of Alexandria was built where it was. Multiple ley lines intersected here, rivers and currents of magic flowed into here, as streams flowed into rivers and as rivers flowed into the ocean, very much like the Nile itself. This specific location acted as a basin of sorts, where this magical energy would pour into. Once upon a time, this basin of sorts was used by the various priests of Khemet's vast and complicated religion, to use the energies to wrought great and powerful spells that kept the river to flood at the right time, to shield the land from the forces of chaos and so forth. Time passed and the basin was left idle and over time, magic from the ley lines continued to pour into the basin. Under his feet, metaphorically speaking, there was a lake of magical energies under his feet, one that had not been tapped into for perhaps thousands of years. It was like discovering that you lived atop the largest oil field, there was that much potential energy to be tapped.

And Midas was going to utilize it.

With the mask removed, he could make a better, more intimate connection to the Millennium Spellbook. The next step was to sift through the "sea" of ley lines and magical traces from varying spells, both residual and permanent, to find the right line that led to the location. He imagined himself sifting through the lines, his hands moving under their own power, forming gestures grand and small as he sought out the residual magic of the Millennium Spellbook. With the mask removed, it was much easier to seek but it did not mean that the task was in any way easier.

It was like he was diving into a lake of a thousand thousand fish, trying to find one specific instance of one. He pushed away the ley lines that had been always there and the magics that were young. He was looking for magic in a certain time period, back when the Spellbook had been used by the priests of Thoth, making the magic a little more than three thousand years old. Unfortunately, the magic in this basin did not work like the layers of rock but rather like a huge tangled knot and he had to pull them apart to find the right one.

After a few frustrating moments, he finally found it. The magic that connected him to the Millennium Spellbook and he knew exactly where to find it. He let the magic spell fade from existence, whatever trace of magic remaining falling back into the basin. Midas knelt down to affix the mask to his face once more, failing to see the shadow flee from the corner of his mind.

Triumphant, he strolled down the hall, his cane striking the stone floor and past the venerable history of the books and scrolls, not caring for their worth, and to a small chamber skillfully hidden in the rocky face. To the untrained eye, there wasn't much to see, but to Midas, he knew exactly what he was looking for: a small line in the wall, barely perceptible to public view. It was a door, which opened to a flight of stairs to another chamber, built even deeper underground than the Library catacombs. There was a way into the chamber, to open the door without actually opening it. A spell, or a key word or phrase to open the door. Midas filtered through his memory, one that stretched thousands of years. Once upon a time, he knew the phrase to open the chamber, one that was passed from priest of Thoth to priest of Thoth. His eyes lit with a malicious glee when he remembered it. He placed a hand at the center of the door and intoned _"Wsir hr Dhwty, ntr-nfr Km-t, wpi n wi." _The earth gave a shudder on his hand with the door seemed to vanish, s flight of stairs leading into the gloom. Midas tapped the head of his cane against the stone and the orb of clear crystal lit up like a flash light, guiding the way. The walls were carved with hieroglyphics, all of them sending dire warnings to those who trespass in here. Midas gave the warnings a derisive snort and began to make his way down.

_"Aker my child,"_ a ghostly voice whispered in his head. _"Do you not recall what happened the last time you opened these pages?"_

"I do not have time for these so called "dire warnings" old man." Midas growled. "I do not need your patronizing once more."

_"Aker,"_ another voice pleaded, _"Do not do this. You will set off a chain of events that even you cannot stop."_

"Enough with your petty words, accursed spirits!" Midas roared, one head to his head. "I do not fear your hollow words1 If anything, you should fear me! _I _cursed you to eternity! Now begone!"

_"Aker. . ."_

_ ". . .Please cease. . ."_

_ "My child, Aker-Har-Shaf,_" The first voice began once more but Midas interrupted him.

"Enough!" Midas shouted to the voices. "First you seek to deter me and now you mock me! Now, begone!" Midas roared a single roar and the din of the voices died down, but he could still hear the faint whisperings in his head, but he could find a way to ignore them in the meanwhile. He had more important things to concern himself with.

The flight of stairs seemed to go on forever, the light from the crystal lighting the dark when the foot of the stairway ended at a massive chamber sparse of nearly all adornment save for a niche carved into the wall where a statue of Thoth, carved from black granite and standing at nearly six feet tall, was placed on the far wall. A painted moon disk rested on the wall above Thoth's head, flanked by the _uraeus. _At the center of the chamber was a dais with a bound tome, the cover made of thick leather and embossed with gold designs. Midas took a single step forward, bracing for some sort of spell of retribution but there was none, so he continued, one step at a time, always prepared for the worst, until he stood in front of the tome itself.

A palatable auras of magic radiated from the book, to the point where even non- magic users could sense its presence. It was like the first day Midas saw the tome and he could sense that it was as accursed now as it was then. A net of spells, wholly different from the ones in the book, surrounded the tome in a sort of mystical cocoon, one that Midas aimed to unravel without causing major damage to himself in the process. He tapped into the basin of ley lines, knowing that his ring, his secret storage of energy would not be enough to unravel the protective spells. The ley lines would be more than ample for what he needed.

To undo the layer of magics encasing the Spellbook, Midas would have to "pull" away each spell at a time, like tugging an errant string from a large tangled knot. And so he did, using his extensive expertise with varying magical techniques from around the globe, from the shamans of Africa to the sages of China and the wise women of isolated tribes, the man employed every technique he could. He was grateful for the ley lines at points, for the spells required to undo the protective wards about the book were extensive and multifaceted. But one by one, he managed to undo the spells and after an extended period of time—for not even he knew how much time had elapsed—the Spellbook laid bare, naked to the world.

"And now for the final spell," Midas mused, one hand inching towards the cover. He resisted the temptation however and muttered a few words under his breath, essentially sheltering him from any magical backlash that may occur from opening the book. When the spell settled over his body like an unfeeling cocoon, he reached for the cover, the fingers brushing against the embossed gold. "Fool me once, shame on you," Midas cooed maliciously, "fool me twice, shame on me."

It was odd, how the book felt the same as it had those thousands of years ago. The pages felt the same, the cover felt the same. The hieroglyphics inked on the sheets looked as fresh as if they had been penned in there yesterday. All the stories claimed that the Millennium Spellbook was transcribed by Thoth, with all the gods contributing their knowledge to benefit their mortal kindred. It was not meant to be read by mortal eyes.

"And yet, here I am, thumbing through the pages as if it were nothing more than a mere library book."

_And yet, you have still not learned your lesson."_

The room suddenly felt darker colder, like he had made his first step into eternity. Midas' eyes flickered to the statue of Thoth, where the darkness was radiating out from.

From the shadows stepped forth a specter in the shape of the statue. Light poured from his transparent body, yet it did little to banish the dark. _"Your arrogance and desire for power will be your undoing._" The god intoned, his hand outstretched, a writing slab in the other. _"Did you not learn from the last time you peered into these pages?"_

"I wanted knowledge, not power, and they kept the knowledge from me! You always said that knowledge should not be shuttered away like a leprous child!"

_And yet, there comes a time where knowledge and wisdom to use the knowledge must be counterbalanced, like the feather and the heart."_ The Millennium Scales materialized in the specter's hand, a white feather and a bloody heart on them in perfect balance._ You have not learned that yet, it seems and as a result, whatever desire you had for knowledge as an acolyte has morphed into a desire for power, to the point where bargaining with eldritch monsters has become your only way to gain the so-called knowledge you seek."_

_ "_Do not toy with me!" Midas snarled, the pages of the Spellbook still opened. "You cast me out for seeking what others were afraid to find!"

_ "They were not afraid!"_ In that instant, Thoth seemed to grow larger, until it was no longer a chamber but a glimpse into the abyss, with Thoth looming as the elder god he was._ "They were forbidden to look, just as you were! And now you are paying the price for it, _child_! You may think that you have had a glimpse into the minds of the gods, when only you have managed to plumb the depths of your own arrogance. So, do not toy with me, _child_! I may not have the power to stop you, but there are others who can. Be careful of the path you tread, for it is a narrow and treacherous one and I fear that we may not be able to save you from it."_

With his ominous words lingering in the air, the specter of Thoth vanished and room shifted back to normal. If Midas had been rattled by the experience, then he showed no signs of it. He continued to glance through the book, the spells fluttering by his discerning fingers. Any normal man would have salivated over the possible prospects that these spells, spells that promised power and riches beyond the imagination with a simple word.

However, Midas was not a normal man.

His eyes flashed when he came across the spell he had been looking for. All those years of seeking, accumulating power, of making shady deals and growing an enterprise just to maintain a facade were near an end.

And soon, he would have everything he ever wanted.

His mortality.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

Mahadaas hid behind one of the soaring bookshelves, his figure obscured by the scrolls and books. His heart hammered from fear and disgust, seeing the stranger in their sacred Library, using magic of all things! Earlier, he had heard the Imhotep give orders to all the Tombkeepers to not enter the Library until the Inhotep allowed them back in once more. However Mahadaas, one of the many custodians of the Library and a practitioner of magic, would not abide by such a ludicrous request. To ban his fellow Tombkeepers from the Library was akin to banishing them from their homelands; it should not be done. So he investigated, partly out of defiance of the Imhotep's orders and partly of of curiosity. After all, what man would ban someone from the Library?

He had his answer when a man in sharply dressed clothes and a golden mask stood at the heart of the Library and evoked a magic spell. Mahadaas could see the threads of magic trailing from the stranger's fingers, like falling stars, sizzling and crackling from his hand. The man's face was horribly marred, with no lips and layers upon layers of scars stretched upon his face, like burns that never healed properly. The man's eyes were an eerie green hue and Mahadaas was frightened for the first time in a very long time. He was clearly a foreigner but had a familiarity with the Library like he had once walked these halls.

The latter could not be possible, for foreigners were banned from the premises, yet there the man was practicing magic like he had own the place. Mahadaas' stomach churned, for in allowing this transgression, the Imhotep had violated one of the most sacred tenants of the Tombkeeper society. Not even the Ishtars, his distant relatives, had violated their sacred vows so thoroughly. He fumbled for the cell phone he kept in a pocket in his ceremonial robes and dialed a number, one that he had not dialed in a very long time, years perhaps.

Mahadaas held his breath as the phone rang once, then twice. On the third time it was picked up and a woman's voice answered.

_". . .Hello?"_

Mahadaas inhaled sharply to calm his demeanor. "Ishizu?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

** So, we get some hints about Midas' background, which should probably drive most of you guys nuts, but once it's revealed, I would recommend that you look back and see all the hints that I had laid out for you throughout the entire chapter. I suspect that much facepalming would ensue.**

** Maybe.**

** Yes, the phrase is indeed legitimate Ancient Egyptian for the most. I have no idea on the grammatical structure of this ancient language, although I suspect it has certain things in common with Arabic and local tribal tongues, so I just put the Ancient Egyptian words where they would be in a typical English sentence. Yes, there are pretty much no vowels because most of the time, the Egyptians conveniently forgot to put them into the hieroglyphics. Brilliant Egyptians, bloody brilliant. *slow clap* **

** It reads "Speak, friend, and enter".**

** Just kidding.**

** It reads, "Osiris and Thoth, good gods of Khemet, open for me."**


	56. Chapter 56: The Scarred One

Chapter 56: The Scarred One

The group had found themselves a quiet place in the hotel lobby to regroup the following morning. They seemed to be at an impasse in their long game with Midas, while they had all three of the Swords required to defeat the Heartstone, it was almost as if Midas had made a minimal effort in the first place to seek them out, which unsettled Yugi greatly.

"What are you planning Midas?" Yugi muttered over the tepid cup of coffee in his hand, long since forgotten.

"I don't know about Midas, but I'm planning on getting a better cup of coffee somewhere else," Joey said, pulling a face at the cup in his hand. "It's like drinking mud, but only mud has better flavor." At Mai's look he added quickly, "Metaphorically, of course. . .what?"

"Your head appears to be somewhere else," Ishizu remarked, a mug of tea in her hand. She was followed by Marik and Sivya, the former of the two looking as if he had gotten little sleep the night before. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm trying to figure out what Midas' next move is. So far, it appears that he's made a half-hearted effort to seek out the Swords, having us do it for him. When he failed to eliminate us, it was like he gave up or something. And if the Swords were so vital like Dartz said, then why isn't he pursuing us any more?"

"That would because Midas has found something infinitely more vital." Everybody in the group glanced up to find Dartz walking towards them, hands tucked in his voluminous sleeves, his hair tied back with a silver ribbon. He wore the same clothes from last time, sans the cloak, but the expression on his face was clouded with a amalgam of worry and resignation.

"Dartz, what are you doing here?" Joey growled, one hand inching to the hilt of his sword. Seeing this, Mai reached across and placed a comforting hand on his own, preventing him from fully drawing the blade. Dartz's eyebrow raised slightly in surprise but said nothing to this.

"Relax Joseph, I am here on good tidings, just as before. First, I must congratulate you on your successes in finding the blades. What has taken many hundreds, if not millenia to find only took all of you a simple matter of days; however, I realize that Midas is no longer pursuing you and the blades, correct?" Yugi nodded and Dartz continued. "Just as I suspected."

"What did you suspect?" Seto Kaiba asked, one hand idly fiddling with the handle of his mug; it was a KaibaCorp rumor that more caffeine flowed through his veins than blood.

Just as Dartz was about to answer, Ishizu's cell phone rang. She flushed in chagrin and excused herself to answer it.

"As I was saying, I suspect that Midas has found a way to raise Atlantis using great and powerful spells. What spells, I do not quite yet know, nor do I know how he plans on using them, but all I know is that he has found a way to resurrect the city, which is why I respectfully request that I may come along as well."

"Why?" Duke asked suddenly and darkly.

"Simple. I know my way around the city and I still have a few tricks left to play, when it comes to outwitting the man at his own game," a sly smile played upon his lips as he said the last part, reminding Yugi of a wolf.

Tea turned to Yugi, whispering, "Can we trust him? After all. . .," she trailed off, not wanted to reopen old wounds. They had done that plenty enough already recently.

Yugi mulled it over for a moment then nodded. "I think we can." Then turning to Dartz, he told him, "yes, you may come along to assist. We need all the help we can get to defeat this mad man."

Ishizu wandered back over, her normally tanned complexion pale with fear. "You were wondering what exactly Midas planned to do next, correct?"

"Yesss. . ." Yugi did not like what Ishizu was implying.

"I just received a phone call from one of our fellow Tombkeeper kindred, Mahadaas. He was in the Library when he noticed something was odd.

"Yugi. . . Midas is in the Library of Alexandria.

"I think he's going after the Millennium Spellbook."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.

The flight to Alexandria was short and uneventful. Had the situation been less dire, they would have taken the time to look out the windows and watch the Nile flow through the desert like a pale blue ribbon, or how marvelous the city of Alexandria truly was, a blend of old new, with ancient worn temples standing alongside the skyscrapers, sphinxes watching protectively over their well-dressed citizens. Upon landing at the airport, Ishizu and the other immediately left to meet up with Mahadaas, whom was to meet them on the upper levels of the Library of Alexandria, all the while Dartz was to find their arrangements for the night. He refrained from joining them in the Library, claiming that he had "preparations to make". The modern Library was seen as a source of knowledge and wisdom in this part of the land but nowadays, it was only a pale replica of the grand Library it had once been in the ancient days.

Mahadaas, clad in his ceremonial robes, greeted them by waving frantically, his glasses nearly falling off the bridge of his nose. With an assortment of books in one hand, he stood out from the more studious patrons of the Library, the nearest ones throwing the man a variety of rude glances. "Oh Ishizu," he sighed, taking the woman's hand with his free one. "It is a shame that we must meet again under such unfortunate circumstances." He put the books down on the nearest table and rearranged his hair, long and black, normally tied back in a simple ponytail, but today it was free flowing and currently being a nuisance. " And Marik, it is good to see you again once more. And you must be Ishizu's friends. She had mentioned you over the phone."

Yugi shot the man a strange look; he looked familiar, but where he saw him, he wasn't exactly sure but despite his almost flighty behavior, Yugi felt comfortable in the man's presence. "It is nice to meet you as well, Mahadaas."

Mahadaas caught Yugi's peculiar look. "Is something the matter?"

Upon realizing that he was essentially staring at the man, Yugi hastily shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong, you just remind me of someone I know."

"Oh I see. I never had had that occurred before, I must admit," Mahadaas said with an awkward laugh, adjusting his glasses once again.

Marik coughed to draw Mahadaas' attention once more before he got off track.

"My apologies, Marik. Now, shall we get on our way? Unfortunately, the Imhotep has blocked off most of the entrances to the catacombs underneath, but as a custodian of the Library, I know of _all_ entrances," he added with a sly wink. "It is a bit out of our way from here, but I have vehicles waiting for you outside. This way." Mahadaas quickly rearranged the books on the table, a habit really from years of organizing books in the catacomb's Library, but hurried behind the main group upon realizing he had been left behind.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-

They found themselves on the outskirts of the city, where the desert began to creep in on the skyscrapers and ruins, threatening to overwhelm them with the sands of time like it had always had. There was a rocky outcrop with what appeared to be a stone door built into them. "Is this it?" Joey asked incredulously.

Mahadaas shot the man a look. "Why yes, this is _it._ And if you wish to enter the Library, I would suggest you keep your mouth shut and not think about drawing that hideous sword of yours."

It was Joey's turn to shoot Mahadaas a dirty look but nevertheless, kept his mouth shut like the custodian had requested harshly. "Now if we may continue." There was a series of hieroglyphics carved into the door. Mahadaas traced them with his finger and they glowed a pale blue. Under his breath, Mahadaas muttered _"Wpi," _and with a groan, the stone door migrated to one side, unveiling a dark hall lit by torches in the wall sconces. "Once, this was a secret entrance for the priests of Thoth, the guardians of the Library. There are many such entrances dotted about the landscape, some obvious, other not so obvious." Mahadaas paused a few yards within the tunnel and glanced back. "Are you following or not?"

As they entered the tunnel, Joey turned to Yugi. "Hey," Joey whispered, nudging Yugi in the side, "doesn't he remind you of. . .?"

Yugi gave a terse nod. "Yes, he does."

The halls were bare, surprising know the ancient Egyptians' penchant for liberally decorating their walls with frescos and richly painted scenes. The rock wall was rough hewn, shadows dancing starkly on them. The scene was quiet, Mahadaas' muttering about history and magic seeming to go into one ear and out the other, so to speak. Instead, he was contemplative, sensing the passage of time in these halls, practically imbued into the rock. The place was seeped in history and magic, Yugi realized, and they were walking into the midst of it all. No wonder Mahadaas was adamant of having them enter through a secret passage. To have people like themselves treading upon the sacred space of the Tombkeepers would be seen as sacrilege on the highest level.

As he continued to walk through the hall, if it could be called that, he felt a chill sweep across his shoulders, like ghostly fingertips. A shudder went down his spine. "Something the matter, Yugi?" Tea asked, seeing the goosebumps rise on his forearms.

"Nothing, just felt a breeze, that's all."

"I didn't feel a breeze."

"Well, I would think that you couldn't feel a breeze," Mahadaas insisted, as if insulted by Yugi's comment. "These wall are thousands of years old. They can keep a mere breeze out. I highly doubt you felt such a thing." It was clear that Mahadaas was quite prideful of his heritage.

"Ignore him," Marik whispered dramatically. "He gets all out of whack if you tell him a scroll wasn't placed alphabetically in the shelf."

"I heard that, young man."

A second chilling wave washed over Yugi, this one more pressing, like icy nails digging into his skin. He coughed, hoping to garner Mahadaas' attention. "Mahadaas, I have a question."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I was just wondering, since this Library is built upon thousands of years of history, with thousands of people walking through its halls, are there. . .what I mean to say is if this place was known for harboring spirits."

"what are you thinking Yugi?" Ryou whispered.

"Just a hunch."

"A very astute question. Normally, those who have passed on, the _ka_ would be in the Field of Reeds; however, do to circumstances, there are _ka's _that have been left behind on this side of the world, whether by choice of forcibly, because of a curse of grievous sin. For them, it was the ultimate punishment, to be forever trapped here in a world of chaos while their loved ones passed on. For a religion that has such a heavy emphasis on the afterlife, to be here is the worst sort of punishment."

"But not all of them spirits are bad, right? Joey asked worriedly.

"As I said, some stay by choice, to fulfill a task or mission, some were cursed by their fellow man, and others were cursed by the gods. I would suspect those that were cursed by gods would be the most malevolent, for they would have had to commit the most egregious of sins to forever remain here."

"Great. . ." Joey muttered grimly.

"But I pity the ones that were cursed by their fellow man, for they had no choice in their fate. It was taken away from them," Mahadaas said sadly. "But I do not think that the more malevolent spirits linger around here, for the magics are too strong for their darker intentions to slip through."

Yugi nodded knowingly. "I see."

At last, the hall opened up into a chamber with a door on the other side. Mahadaas went to the door and gave it a gentle shove. The door of stone swung open and they were face to face with the largest library of the world. The Library was not a single catacomb but rather a series of them, interlocked with halls and chambers. There were study rooms and places to stay overnight should one have an extended stay. Rooms set aside for the protectors and custodians of the Library were situated about the edge of the Library for easy access should the need arise. The main chamber, where the vast majority of books were stored was forty feet high, with the shelves housing the books and scrolls reaching nearly as high. Ladders were propped up against the shelves just in case.

"Welcome to the Library," Mahadaas told them, his arms out wide. His voice echoed throughout the Library. "It would seem that nobody is here still. The Imhotep is being extra cautious it seems," he added in an acidic tone. When he regained his bearings, he gestured in a general westerly direction. "This way, this is where the Millennium Spellbook is."

They wove through the shelves filled to the brim with books and scrolls. Ryou looked to be utterly fascinated, considering that he was scholar of the literary arts, while Marik and Ishizu looked to be oddly reminiscent about the place.

Marik turned to Sivya. "I remember when we were younger and father would take us here to the Library for lessons. Sometimes, Ishizu and I would hide from father, if neither of us felt like doing our lessons. Once, he had to call on the many workers here to find us, we were that hidden."

"And if you recall, father wasn't exactly happy with us then," Ishizu added, a ghost of a sly smile on her lips.

"No, but it was still fun, hiding from him that day."

Mahadaas froze suddenly in front of a blank rock wall, eyes narrowed in displeasure. Yugi caught the man's uneasy behavior. "What's happening?"

"This is where the chamber of the Millennium Spellbook-"

"I don't see a chamber," Tristan interjected and Mahadaas scowled.

"-That is because it is hidden away from the mortal eye. Only a select few can access it. Now, partially by law and partially by tradition, only those who are deemed "Priests of Thoth" or the "_Hm-ntr Dhwty. _Now, please step back while I open the door." As Mahadaas had his hand hovered over the door, Yugi swore he caught a few words in ancient Egyptian, such as _Dhwty _and _Km-t_. Whatever it was, it had to be akin to a password for the wall section seemed to vanish, a flight of stairs plunging downwards.

"Okay, I'll have to admit, seeing the vanishing door, that was pretty cool," Joey whistled.

"If you will follow me."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The flight of stairs felt as if they were plunging into eternity, with only a small light emitting from Mahadaas' outstretched palm to light the way. Twice more did Yugi feel the ghostly touch of the Library's apparitions and each subsequent time, their touch was more urgent, more powerful, as if the spirits were warning him something, attempting through silent gestures to communicate. And Yugi, while he was comfortable with specters, for he had once housed one himself, was unable to answer them.

The stairs opened into the chamber and Mahadaas froze, seeing the Millennium Spellbook open and slightly askew on the dais. "He read the Spellbook," Mahadaas muttered. "You _can't _read the Spellbook. You are supposed to _read_ the Spellbook."

"Well apparently, he did," Aaron drawled, inching towards it, curiosity driving him. "What exactly makes this thing so valuable anyways?"

_"It is the tome of the gods, our sacred word now wholly violated."_

The room plunged into darkness, Mahadaas' ghostly light extinguished as one would do to a candle; however, this darkness was not confined to the stone boundaries of the chamber. Instead, the darkness as akin to the cold expanse of the universe; peering into it too long would cause vertigo and possibly drive a person into madness. What few shadows, clinging to the dark, there were coalesced into a figure, one that towered over them despite being confined, the ibis beak and Millennium Scale in his hand a clear indicator of his identity.

Ishizu reflexively reached for the hollow of her neck where the Millennium Necklace once rested, while Marik reached for the Rod, instincts brought on by years of experience, pleasant and not so pleasant.

_"Do not yearn for what is not there," _Thoth, or rather, the vision of Thoth commanded and both Ishtar siblings slowly let their hands fall to their sides. _"It is an exercise in futility."_

"What's going on?" Yugi cried out, to summon the shadow's attention.

_"I have been violated once by my lost child; I have no desire for it to happen again. Therefore, you must be stopped."_

"Well crap, this sucks," Aaron bemoaned, one hand inching to his sidearm. "First creepy snake guys, then some sort of mutated wolf things and now angry gods? I never should've left Israel. I wonder if you can shoot a god. . ."

"We have no intention of reading the Millennium Spellbook," Yugi explained. "We're trying to find the person who did!"

_"Why should I believe you, Bearer of the Lost Horus Child? After all, you could be simply trying to recreate what has been lost to the sands of Sekhmet."_

"You don't believe me? Then let me close the book."

"_No heathen may touch the texts!"_

"Then trust me."

The shadowy figure of Thoth seemed to waver as he pondered this challenge. Then, he spoke: _"Then close the book."_

"Yugi, you're joking right?" Duke asked, astonished. "Somebody _please _tell me he's joking."

"It doesn't look like it," Tristan replied, watching Yugi step forward. His hand gently grasped the embossed cover, the gold cool on his palm and fingertips. In a quick gesture, Yugi flipped the cover, shutting the book. He stepped back, his eyes challenging the figure.

There was a pregnant pause and the figure thundered once more: _"So you speak true then. You truly are searching for the Scarred One, my wayward child."_

"Wayward child?. . ." Tristan muttered. "Wait, Midas is your kid!"

"I think he's speaking metaphorically," Ryou replied, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"So he was once one of yours," Seto began coolly. "A priest or a demi-god, I'm guessing."

_"You guess correct, son of Seth. He was once an acolyte of mine. Aker Har-Shaf."_

"Then what happened?" Serenity inquired.

"_A tragic downfall but this is not my tale to tell. I am the scribe who has eternity written on the papyrus, but I am not the crier." _As he finished, the room grew suddenly cold and three ghosts, their faintly glowing silhouettes banishing the gloom like a bonfire.

"_Then we shall tell you the tale, as we have been trying to tell for many years." _The center apparition intoned. He was old, his face lined with wrinkles, his head shaved. He bore long white linen robes, a _usekh _collar of carnelian and lapis about his neck. The specter flashed a wan smile in Yugi's direction. "_You were merely the only one who cared to listen."_

"So that's what was happening," Yugi proclaimed, realization dawning on him. "You were trying to talk to me."

_"Precisely,"_ the right spirit nodded. His robes and _usekh_ were similar, but less fine than the first spirit's.

_"The story may not change the past, but perhaps it can alter the future,"_ the first spoke. _"Mayhaps you will find use of this information, for we do not. Yes, Midas as you now call him, was an acolyte of Thoth and a very good one at that, for even as a child, he had a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand the beyond. We were lucky to have him placed at the footsteps at our temple in Thebes. _

_ "From what I had been told, a priest of Thoth at the time, he was the illegitimate child of a noblemen's daughter and a slave from the northern lands beyond the sea. The noble killed the father upon finding out and forced his daughter to abandon the child at one of the many temples. It was with great fortune that she passed him onto us. The priestesses of the temple called him "Aker", the victorious one. They nursed him and reared him, while we taught him. When he was old enough, I taught him how to read and write and he showed himself to be adept at the task, being among the quickest scribes of the city from a young age. While noblemen and administrators fought to be his patron and advance his career, Aker showed no interest in the outside world, for it had treated him cruelly from such a young and vulnerable age._

_ "He turned to the temple and became one of our acolytes. I placed him under my tutelage and taught him all the rituals, all the ceremonies to Thoth, all the spells that a Priest of Thoth was expected to know, to protect the people of the Two Lands from the forces of chaos. He learned quickly and soon, I had nothing more to teach him and yet, he still desired knowledge. He would go down to the libraries of the different temples and immerse himself in their learnings and yet it wasn't enough. _

_ "It was never enough._

_ "He grew more isolated and unwilling to interact with the outside world and we worried. He had all the makings of the greatest ones of us, the next Imhotep, a child of the gods. Then one day, builders at the site of the Pharaoh's found a tome. We had never encountered anything of its ilk and yet, power radiated from it, like heat from a beast. A slumbering power indeed. Fearful, the builders brought the tome to us and we stored the book away from prying eyes, knowing full well the power contained within. Shortly after, Thoth came to us during a ceremony and warned us that only specific individuals may gaze the writings and spells contained within its grand covers and that only priests of Thoth may use the spells within._

_ "Aker was infinitely curious about the spells and I should have been the one to curb his urges, knowing full well what punishment he could suffer just by merely glancing inside the book. The day that Thoth appeared to us was the day that Aker decided that he would be a priest of Thoth, rather than an acolyte. When the time came to initiate the chosen acolytes into our order, we passed over Aker even though he had exceeded our requirements for the priesthood. We had feared that his motives were too selfish and thus, we passed him over. Perhaps this was the greatest mistake of all, for he became incensed and vowed to become a priest, even if it killed him. I remember praying to Isis for guidance, for Aker was like the son I could never have and I feared that he was turning to the darkness, the desire for knowledge now being corrupted, morphing into a desire for power. _

_ "Shortly after the initiation ceremony, I had to perform a few ceremonies for some of the nobles, leaving the Spellbook unguarded and Aker alone with it. Upon my absence, he had taken it upon himself to enter the chamber where the Millennium Spellbook was stored, and to glance upon its sacred pages._

_ "It would be the greatest mistake he would ever make._

_ "When he opened the book, a fiery wave, holy fire, the very wrath of Thoth, poured out from the book, burning Aker across the face and arm, where he had shielded his eyes from the brunt of the blast. His face was covered in burns, his nose and lips completely melted away, one cheek a mangled mess, exposing his teeth on that side. A vision of Thoth stood over him, taking up most of the chamber, his eyes burning with the fury of the sun disk for disobeying his express command. He then cursed Aker with immortality, to forever wander the mortal world and to not pass on to the Field of Reeds. He cursed his burns, to never fully heal and to serve a reminder of his folly, believing that he was greater than he was._

_ "When I returned, I found him screaming in agony in the chamber, his face melted away, blood oozing from his wounds. I tried to help him and he refused, claiming that it was my fault that he had been punished this way. That if I had made him a priest then none of this would have happened, that he wouldn't have been cursed this way. I knew then that he had lost his heart to the chaos the darkness in his heart. I told him that this was his fault and he spat blood at me, cursing me and the two men in the chamber with me. He cursed our _ka_s to forever be bound to the Millennium Spellbook, as a reminder that he could be greater than the very gods themselves, despite the horrific wounds upon his face. In my anger, I called him "Aker Har-Shaf", Aker with the terrible face. He cursed me again and in my pain, I left the room, leaving my child to suffer alone, not because I wanted to, but because he wouldn't let me._

_ "The priestesses managed to convince him to let them tend to his burns but he refused to see me or the two men with me. When the moon had turned three times, I demanded to see him, to speak with him but then one of them had informed me that Aker Har-Shaf had left already. I was heartbroken, a part of myself believing that his backslide into the dark was my fault. When my body passed on, my _ka_ was to stay here, forever bound to the book that cursed him, unable to go on to the Field of Reeds until the curse had been undone with Aker's death. But with his immortality ensured, I will forever remain here._

_ "You must find a way to stop his madness, make him see his mistakes he has made, for I cannot._

_ "Please."_

_ T_he specter finished his tale and exhaled deeply. It was clear that retelling this was painful for him, a reminder for his failures. Yugi could see the agony etched on the priest's haggard and ghostly features. He nodded.

"We'll do it."

_"Good."_ The shadow of Thoth proclaimed. _"Doing this will set the balance once again in the world._" As he said this, the Millennium Scales in his hand wobbled until the bloody heart and the white feather, so stark in contrast to the deep red hues, were balanced perfectly. _"Now go, and do my bidding."_

** So, he was originally intended to be a one and done character, but now Mahadaas has grown on me and I'm awfully tempted to have him incorporated somehow into the one-shot collection, like as an assistant to Ishizu perhaps. He not **_**exactly**_** like his sort of namesake, but there's enough for comparisons to be made I guess. *shrugs* Also he has a younger sister named Samana lololololol**

** . . .Because that's not obvious **_**at all**_**.**

** And now it's time for a lesson chockfull of mythology. For those curious, the word **_**"wpi"**_** is ancient Egyptian for "open" and **_**"Hm-ntr Dhwty**_**" is "Priests of Thoth". When Thoth refers to Yugi as the "Bearer of the Lost Horus Child", it is a reference to Horus the Child, a powerful aspect of Horus in the mythos. Since the Pharaohs were seen as the living Horus, it would make sense (sort of) for Thoth to call Atemuhotep the "Lost Horus Child". Admittedly, it's kind of hard to explain the whole "Horus the Child" mythos without pretty much explaining the whole Horus saga. Just look it up, methinks. Also, because of the fact that only Priests of Thoth were allowed to read the Millennium Spellbook, these priests were utilized in the formation of the Millennium Items, chanting the spells needed.**

** You may have noticed the phrase "Har Shaf in the previous chapter, when the ghosts were attempting to communicate with Midas. I didn't want to give any spoilers at the time, but now I can explain its meaning. It means "Terrible Face", while "Aker" meant "Victorious".**

** . . .And now we have Midas' backstory and it only took fifty-six chapters to get there. One of the things I find accidentally interesting is how Midas' deal with the Leviathan takes on a whole new perspective. As you recall, in exchange for resurrecting Atlantis, Midas obtains his mortality once more, aging like a normal person from that point on until he dies of old age. According to the priest, he is forever bound to the Millennium Spellbook as an apparition until Midas/ Aker dies. When Midas dies because of his deal with the Leviathan, then the priests are free and are able to move on to the afterlife.**

** So, is Midas/Aker's motives truly selfish then, or are they something else entirely? You now get to decide.**

** . . .Mwahaha.**


	57. Chapter 57: To Rise Again

Chapter 57: To Rise Again

The helicopter landed along the shore line of Doñana National Park, the marshlands teeming with life, life that Midas would love nothing more than to ignore at the moment. Doñana National Park was located in the southern part of Spain an incredibly large marshland, where archaeologists claimed the site of Atlantis was. Midas wanted to scoff at the notion, for their proposed site was nothing more than a mere shadow of the great city lost under the waves. They were correct in guessing the general location, off the shore of Spain, west of the Pillars of Heracles, now known as the Strait of Gibraltar. To throw off any suspicious authorities, he had decided to walk to the shore line, only a couple of miles away, to where a boat was waiting for him. From there, the boat would race to the true Atlantis' location, an sunken city located between the countries of Spain and Morocco. Because of the years of debris and life covering the city, there were little efforts taken to properly explore the area.

All the better for the mad man in the mask.

He saw the speedboat waiting for him tucked away in a little cove, hidden away from any onlookers. He gracefully stepped inside, all while clad in white robes, embroidered in teal and gold, discarding his cane for an elaborate staff, a hunk of Orichalcos the side of an ostrich egg mounted to the top in gold and silver. The driver said nothing to this unusual site, knowing full well that asking would mean dire consequences. Se he elected not to inquire. In the oppressive heat, Midas had rolled up the sleeves of his robes, revealing the ugly scars on his left forearm. He had kept the ropy scars skillfully hidden throughout the entire tourney and then some, using both makeup and a simple magic spell to trick the eye into something different. Again the driver said nothing to the horrific marks. Alongside Midas, carried by two of his bodyguards, whom were now standing along the shore's edge, waiting for him, was a trunk five feet long by two feet, with a depth of two-and-a-half feet. This contained the other accouterments he would need for the final ceremony, to resurrect Atlantis from its watery grave.

The boat went along for a couple of hours, plenty of time for Midas to prepare his final spell. When he had opened the Millennium Spellbook, he had enacted a spell that would allow him to quickly memorize what he needed, which were a trio of spells that would be fused in a way that would raise Atlantis from the ocean floor and allow it to remain on the surface for an indefinate period of time. A difficult and lengthy spell, but when it was finished, it would be greatest and most powerful spell Midas had ever cast.

"Stop here," he barked to the driver, whom nodded and brought the boat to a stop. Midas bent down and flipped the latches of the trunk open, revealing the magnificent gold epaulet that spanned his shoulders and collarbone, the emerald centerpiece gleaming in the late afternoon light. It was the same piece he had worn on the island. He settled the piece on his shoulders, doing the leather buckles on the backside that held the piece securely. The polished gold and orichalcum pieces sat comfortably on his chest, like the touch of an old friend. He reached for the second and final piece of his get up, the miniature version of the _atef_ crown upon his head, the Orichalcos mounted on the brow. To the driver he looked to be some grand and alien god, liberally covered in gold and ocichalcum from head to foot, his face obscured by the mask. His hair was long and flowing, reaching halfway down his back.

With a curt wave, he dismissed the driver below decks of the boat, allowing Midas to chant in peace.

He cracked the bones in his neck before flashing a smug smirk.

"Shall we begin?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

He was fishing alone when he heard the first rumbles, the waves growing uncommonly calm in an instant. Curious, the fisher peered over the side of the boat, to see what was the matter. Scowling, he settled back into the boat to fish once more, the pipe in his mouth puffing away like a smokestack in the Industrial Revolution.

Then the rumbles came again, more powerful this time and the waves, which had fallen calm, appeared to vibrate like the earth would in an earthquake. The boat rocked violently back and forth, causing him to lose the pipe in the chaos. He saw something flash to his left and in that instant, was rocked by a series of waves, also coming form his left. The sky, which had been clear for most of the day, was growing dark and ominous, thunder clouds gathering and piling at a supernatural rate. His eyes widened in shock as he saw a large lump emerge from the waters to the southwest like a mighty behemoth rising for air. Whatever it was, it was causing the waves to beat at his old and somewhat shabby motor boat. In fear, he drew the Cross over his chest while muttering the Lord's Prayer. When he was finished, he revved up the motor, any chance of catching forgotten as he steered the boat away as quickly as he could, muttering the names of all the Catholic saints he could remember under his breath.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

According to the men at the pub, there was green lightning flashing in the sky. Of course, since these were men at the pub, their word wasn't to be believed. At least, that was what Alister learned over the period of time he was staying there, at a small and spars hotel room apartment. To humor the men however, and partly out of curiosity, he decided to step outside, his pint of dark beer temporarily forgotten. Wind battered at the dilapidated sign of the pub furiously and he struggled to button the long trench coat he wore. He glanced up to see this mysterious "green lightning" the drunkards were referring to and his heart sank when he saw the first few bolts.

The shade of green was identical to that of the Orichalcos.

"Oh my. . ." he began to mutter when one of the bolts struck the nearby church, frying the wrought iron cross on the highest part of the roof. In that instant, a wave of pain unlike that he had ever experienced swept through his body. It was like a heart attack, he Alister had anything to compare it to, only a hundred times worse. He cried out in pain and sank to his knees, hands clawing into the cobblestone street, the skin on his fingertips being scrapped away by the stone, the raw skin bleeding profusely, leaving red streaks on the stone. He wanted nothing more to crawl away into some hovel, until the agony passed but he knew that he couldn't.

Fighting the pain, he reached for his cell phone, a device he had long forgotten until now. It was standard issue to those in the service of DOMA, to keep in contact with the other Swordsmen. Blood was smeared on the keypad as he began to slowly, haltingly dial a number he had not dialed in a long, long time. He gasped as another wave rocked him and he slumped forward, barely hearing the dial tone on the phone, the blood rushing in his ears as his heart hammered out a rapid tempo.

"Please. . .please answer. . .answer the phone. . ." he gasped to the other line.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

"The weather seems unusually calm today," Ellie remarked, working away at a hat. It amazed Raphael how she could go from project to project like a hummingbird travels from flower to flower. Now, she was working on a striped hat for Valon as some sort of gag gift, he presumed, judging by the colors of it.

"A little, but then again, it is quite nice," Raphael said with a shrug, content to watch her work. It was a stroke of good luck that both of them had been given the day off so it was nice to be able to sit around and do nothing, for once. Usually by now, Valon would have called Raphael, regaling him with some sort of harebrained incident or scheme of whatever caught his fancy, but Valon hadn't called in a while, almost a week actually, and it was beginning to worry him greatly. He refused to let the anxiety show, for Ellie was too good at picking up his subtle body language and tone. "I still haven't figured out why you're making Valon that hat."

"Well, I think it makes him look cunning, don't you think?" She held up the half finished hat and giggled to herself, as if the hat were the subject of an inside joke that Raphael had sadly missed.

" I'm. . .I'm not quite sure actually," Raphael replied, slightly flummoxed, eying the hat curiously. Deep down, he suspected that she was referring to something, but then again, Raphael was never truly keen on keeping up with the day's latest pop culture. It was bad enough that Valon had to talk about all the latest TV shows he was watching. In some ways, Valon was a walking TV Guide. She the expression on his face, Ellie giggled again.

"Maybe I should make you a hat like this."

"I highly doubt it would go well with my skin tone," he jested weakly.

Raphael's cell phone began to ring just as a rumble of thunder rolled over head, startling the both of them.

"Was it supposed to rain today?" Ellie asked.

Raphael frowned. "I don't think so." He reached for the cell phone and his breath hitched when he saw the caller I.D.

It was Alister.

"Ellie," he began, his voice tight and tense like a coiled spring. "I need you to take a look outside for me, but don't open the door or any windows."

"Raphael. . ."

"Now." She nodded hastily and hurried out of the room. He hit the "answer" function on his phone.

"Hello?

_"Hey. . .Raphael."_

"Alister, what's going on?"

_"Figured you. . .you would ask such a thing."_ Raphael could hear Alister gasp in pain.

"What's happening Alister. . .Alister?"

There was a pregnant pause on the other line. _"It's. . .I think it's the Orichalcos."_

Raphael paled at this. "I feared so."

_"Gotta. . .gotta call you back," _Alister grunted. _"Hurts too much. . . Warn Valon. . ." _The phone went dead as Alister, presumably, turned off his cell.

Just then, Ellie came back looking as frightened as he. "Clouds have come in really fast, and there's lightning-"

"As I figured," Raphael mused to himself.

"But that's not all." Ellie took in a deep breath. "The lightning is green."

"Green, like that of the Orichalcos, I presume-" As Raphael finished, he collapsed onto the floor from the couch and onto his hands and knees, every cell in his body in agony, his skin feeling like it was on fire, the nerves reacting to some unknown force.

"Raphael!" Ellie screamed, rushing to his side. "Raphael, speak to me!"

"Hurts. . .too much. . ."He said in between gasps, face contorted in a grimace. He could tell through the pain induced haze that Ellie was trying to not panic, but if she did, he wouldn't blame her. The Orichalcos was haunting him still it would seem. "Ellie. . ."

"What is it?"

"Get me,. . .get me my duel disk," he said, pointing to the KaibaCorp disk sitting in a glass case on a bookshelf, the deck of cards encased in a wooden box. He forced himself upright, wishing he had something to lean into as he fought off the pain. She handed both items off to him and he grimly slid the deck into the disk, and the disk onto his arm. The disk hummed to life, the artificial light becoming an oddly comforting during this time. His body still screaming in agony as he slowly moved across the room. He placed on hand on the doorknob that led to the outside of his apartment.

"Ellie," he began, the words slow and deliberate, as if he could not afford any wasted energy. "I . . . want you to stay inside . . . and whatever you do, don't. . . don't open the door."

"Even if it's you?" She had a feeling as to why Raphael had told her this, a memory of him telling of the Orichalcos.

Raphael nodded. "I'll. . .I'll call when it's clear. . .okay?" she nodded. "Good. Now. . .stay safe. . ." He winced as he slowly turned the knob and she could see the pain in his eyes, as it appeared that every move pained him.

"Raphael, I love you."

Raphael paused, shoulders slumped. "I. . .I love you too."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.

Dartz could sense the presence of something dark as they flew closer and closer to the reported site of Atlantis in southern Spain. He saw the clouds gathering and growing at an uncommonly fast rate towards them, sea green hued lightning dancing and crackling in their depths. The wind howled and hammered away at the KaibaCorp plane, forcing the plane to tip one way or another as they fought the furious and erratic air currents. In his lap were small bags filled with mystical ingredients, all contained in small bundles wrapped in cheesecloths. Over the years, Dartz had discovered a quicker way of enacting spells by prepping said bags before hand, and then tossing the bags to the ground during the spell casting process. It certainly saved both time and space by prepping them in this matter.

When each bag was finished being prepped, he charged the bag with a trickle of energy from one of the many items he wore on his person. Again, over the years Dartz had found a way to imbue energy into everyday objects, then utilize them when needed. Because of what he had planned, which could easily kill him, Dartz had gathered the items he had collected and charged over the years, and used the energy contained within to charge these packets of magical ingredients. The best way to describe these things was to compare them to cherry bombs, he had learned.

The plane rocked again and he fought to keep himself in the seat. While the KaibaCorp plane was spacious and designed with the best comforts in mind, it was not equipped for the magical energies churning and raging outside them. The once clear blue sky was now black and gray, with flashes of green lightning, the same hue as the Orichalcos.

"You're seeing it too?" It was Yugi, watching Dartz intently as the elder's gaze was directed out the window at the oncoming storm.

"Yes. The lightning is the same color as the Orichalcos stones."

"Is it Midas then?"

Dartz nodded. "I would believe so-"

That was when it struck.

Crosswinds struck the plane with a force of a hurricane, forcing the plane to tip crazily to its left. The gang all clung to their seats as Kaiba's pilots struggled to right the plane once more. Simultaneously, Dartz felt a stab of pain, like someone had drive a dagger to his torso. He gasped and one hand went to his chest, like he was in the midst of a heart attack. The pain was unbearable and in the fog, he could see others go through the same thing he was: Mai, Marik and Yugi were all in clear pain in varying degrees.

Marik had sunk to the floor, face pale, his whole body trembling. "Marik!" Sivya screamed, tearing off her seat belt to be at his side in the aisle.

"What's happening?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"I don't know!" Sivya practically wailed, her heart sinking to see him like this.

"Make it. . .make it stop," Mai moaned, her long nails digging into the seat like talons. "Please. . ." she pleaded to Joey, her eyes shining with tears of pain.

Joey held her, rocking back and forth. "I wish I could, I wish I could Mai. . ."

"Please. . ." she sobbed.

From Yugi's standpoint, it would appear that he was in the least amount of pain, but nevertheless, it drove him to his knees as he tore off the restrictive seat belt. Tea was kneeling alongside him, her hand rubbing his back in small comforting circles. "What's going on Dartz?" he growled, although if was because of the pain or because of the man, he could no longer differentiate.

"What did you do to Mai?" Joey snarled, one hand inching towards the Sword of Renewal, readying to strike.

"The Orichalcos. . ." Dartz mused, almost like he were not entirely there.

Yugi's eyes narrowed at this and Dartz was struck by how much he reminded him of the Lost Pharaoh. "What about it?"

"The Orichalcos. The Orichalcos is calling us home. All of those who have been touched by it's power, it's calling out to them. . ."

"But Yugi never used the Orichalcos!" Tea cried out.

"No, but Atem. . .Atem did." Yugi stumbled over the words, the admission too painful to say out loud.

Dartz nodded. "Midas must have raised Atlantis from the waters.

"The Heartstone has been born again."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

To see the waterlogged ruins of the once lost city of Atlantis brought a pleasure that Midas had not felt before. He practically hummed to himself as he stepped off the boat, still clad in his regalia. He was like a lost king coming home. Water ran from gullies and sluices, the buildings covered in the slick sheen, statues encrusted with salt and time. His boots clicked on the off kilter cobblestone streets, the robes trailing behind. He made his way to the center of the city, past the ringed canals that Atlantis was famous for, the canals designed for transport of people and goods. In the center of the city was the royal palace complex. The once towering spires were now shells of their glory days, hallowed out and tumbling structures. It was said that the center of the city suffered the most from the backlash that doomed the realm to the watery abyss and it was clear that the stories were true.

However in the ruins of civilization, a new and better one will rise, a concept that the man knew all too well and here it was no different.

For here, something far grander and beautiful had risen in the place of the once grand and expansive palace, something more ancient and powerful.

Midas came to a slow and regal stop at the gaping entrance of the palace, where twenty foot doors of oak, gilded with gold were mounted; time and water gad destroyed them. He could see the results of thousands of years, of patience and power beyond his wildest dreams, all coming to fruition. He reared his head back and howled with pleasure.

He had won.

"Atlantis has risen again."

** And look who's not dead! *throws confetti * Aaaand I made a reference to the title of the fic, ala "Arrested Development" style.**

** *puts on sunglasses* LIKE A BAUS. **

** Once again, for those who have recently joined the fic, the character of Ellie Monroe is not mine, but rather Kohaku no Hime's. Read her stories, they're full of AWESOME.**


	58. Chapter 58: Endgame

Chapter 58: Endgame

**Yeah...there was a slight miscalculation in planning the distribution of these chapters (possibly because I did it a day late) so now you get three chapters in one night/day/whatever time it is now.**

** *throws confetti*. . .Yay? **

The Kaibacorp jet hovered over the now risen ruins of Atlantis, the passengers' jaws dropping in awe. They were unable to witness the city emerging from the ocean, for the jet had suffered many difficulties in fighting the eddies and erratic winds of the storm that now circled overhead them. Lightning struck the ocean waters, the green light reflecting off the plane's chassis and wings, with one occasionally every now and then narrowly missing the jet itself.

But what was most awe inspiring were the thin and alien spires of Orichalcos stone that wholly consumed the half eroded buildings, especially around the center of the ringed city, evidence of the Heartstone's power.

Seto, who was now in the cockpit with Roland, pointed to a relatively clear patch of rubble. "Land there," he barked harshly. Roland nodded and circled the jet about for a tumultuous, but safe, landing. The plane's doors opened, the cabin now depressurized. Lightning flashed, lighting the streets eerily.

Rebecca gazed about, her mouth slightly open in amazement. The buildings, despite the thousands of years of erosion from the ocean waters, still held that glimmer of glory and beauty, from the fusion of the elegant Grecian architecture, Celtic art and Egyptian solidness, to the half worn frescos painted on the walls, depicting scenes of everyday life here in faded paints. Statues of gods that brought to mind the animalistic Egyptian ones and the humanoid Greek ones were dotted about, their once mighty forms covered in kelp and coral. The air smelt of salt and fish, as they spied the half dying bodies of sea life on the streets. "I wish Grandpa could see this. He's been looking for this place his entire career and we found it."

"Man, is this place creepy or what?" Tristan began, eying the nearby buildings. "Also, it stinks."

". . .And thank you for killing the mood," she scowled.

"Just sayin'."

"I'll go with the "or what"." Duke answered, shuddering. The place was quiet, too quiet, if he would say so.

Joey turned to Yugi. The Sword of Renewal was strapped to his back haphazardly using a belt and a knotted up t-shirt. McGyver would have been proud, Mai had teased him at one point. "What's the plan Yuge'?"

"From what I could see," Yugi pointed off to his right, towards the city's center. "That's where I guess that the Heartstone is-"

"That would be correct," Dartz answered with a nod.

"And where Midas is. So Kaiba, Joey and I will be heading in that direction, to see if we can stop Midas and the Leviathan from rising."

"And if I may," Dartz coughed. "I ask that I travel with you. I would be of some use, I believe," He finished enigmatically, as if he were hiding something.

Kaiba scowled at this. "We don't need you slowing us down." He looked agitated, anxious to get this over with and be on with his slightly less chaotic life.

"On the contrary, I think you may be slowing me down," Dartz smirked, a twinkle in his eye, unusual in such a somber in eerie place.

Aaron raised his hand. He had since equipped his side arm and hunting knife, as well as a half dozen of spare magazines for said sidearm. "Question: what about the rest of us who don't have magical swords?"

"Since I don't know what Midas is going to concoct, I think it would be safe for the rest of you to be safe here," Yugi answered haltingly.

Mai scowled, primarily at Joey, as if this were his idea. "So you're ditching us then?"

"It's nothing like that-" Joey began, defending Yugi but she shushed him.

"You'd have to be absolutely insane if you're leaving us to twiddle our thumbs here while you guys go off and save the world."

Joey placed a hand on her shoulder and for a moment , it looked as if she was to shrug him off, but she didn't. "You and I both know it's nothing like that. You, you're one of the best duelists out there, but. . .but it would kill me if something happened to you," Joey added quietly, so only she could hear. "Besides, I can't be there to protect Serenity in case Midas pulls a fast one on us. You can. Please."

Mai frowned at this but softened eventually. "Okay, but so help me-" she grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt for a passionate kiss. When he pulled away after a few long seconds, dazed, she added, "If something happens to you, come hell or high water, I'm heading up to that palace myself and handing Midas' ass on a golden platter."

Joey grinned. "I wouldn't expect any less."

"Good, now punch the sleazebag in the face for me."

He flashed her a mock salute."Right."

Joey turned to Yugi, who looked stunned at the sudden and abrupt change of events between the two and Joey belatedly realized that he hadn't broke the news to any of his friends about he and Mai's romantic status. "I'll explain to you on the way."

". . .Um, . .right."

"Now let's give Midas a good ole' fashioned homecoming, shall we?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He was seated on a throne entirely built of Orichalcos crystal, the heart of the Heartstone, so to speak. It was as if the stone obeyed his every command, every whim, an infinite wealth of magical power at his fingertips.

_"You havvvvveeee evrything you want,"_ The shadow of the Leviathan hissed in his ear. _"Now, releassssseeeeeee me from my tombbbbb."_

Midas sneered, his hands resting on the cool crystal. In front of him was a smooth piece of Orichalcos to serve as a mirror. He waved a hand over it and images materialized on the surface. He saw the Kaibacorp logo on the tailfin of the plane. It would appear that he had guests.

"With pleasure." Midas slammed a fist down on the crystal, cracks forming. Shadows and smoke rose and curled from the cracks, before coalescing and solidifying into something more concrete.

"And let the games begin."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.

Marik could feel a cool breeze slide across the back of his neck, making his hairs rise on end. He turned to Aaron, whom looked alert and wary as ever, his hand fiddling with the "safety" switch on the side arm. "Do you sense that?"

"Yeah, I do." Aaron raised the gun to eye level, scanning the surroundings. The area was growing colder and mistier, just like at the national park in Turkey and the streets of Cardiff. "Magic."

"Right." The lights on Marik's duel disk flashed to life as he slid his deck into the slot. On cue, the other duelists did likewise. Shadow Magic seemed to slide and dance to life about Ryou's form while Ishizu's hands glowed with the blue fire of her own abilities. He saw Sivya grip her staff tighter, her hands quaking in a vain effort to hide her fear.

He turned back to the alleyways of the once grand buildings, possibly warehouses, and saw the shadows come to life. These ones were different however, for they were not the sleek, lupine creatures of before but rather bulky beasts clad in armor, their bodies warped and twisted, a mockery of man's own. The soldiers moved with slow, jerky movements, their eyes blank but burned with the green of the Orichalcos stone. They bore a variety of weapons that could only have come from a twisted man's nightmares, bladed implements designed for close combat. At first, there were only a handful but as they poured out from the cracks ad alleyways, their numbers began to grow exponentially, until the group realized they were vastly outnumbered.

Ishizu spun about to Serenity and Mokuba. "I think it would be best that you two stay in the jet."

"But. . ." Mokuba began to protest but Serenity interrupted him.

"She's right. We aren't duelists or fighters. Besides, I think your big brother would be heartbroken should something happen to you.

Mokuba sighed. Serenity had a point. "Fine."

"Brace yourselves," Aaron called out, taking command of the situation. "Here they come!"

They movements were plodding as they made their way towards them but eventually began to gain momentum. Aaron was already beginning to fire, making sure that each bullet fired counted. The first one went down as a bullet sank in right between the eyes, collapsing and tripping up the other ones behind it. They two went down in a fury of magic conjured up by Bakura as Shadows erupted from the earth, engulfing the monsters before dragging them below the earth to face some punishment or another. Hastily, Bakura took a quick bite out of a granola bar before ducking under the clawed swing of an Orichalcos monster. Duke shot him a confused look.

"What? Shadow Magic makes me hungry."

"Really Bakura?" Tristan asked, one of the Orichalcos monsters in a headlock, only for Aaron to whip out his hunting knife and plunge it into the monster's cranium while simultaneously shooting another with his sidearm.

"Hey, don't knock it if it works!" Aaron argued.

"Says the man that could kill someone with a paperclip if needed," Tea grumbled while kicking a monster back.

"Well, I can't say that I've done that, but a lady friend of mine has killed someone with a credit card once. . .I should ask her how she did it. . ."

Meanwhile, Sivya and Marik were back to back, Marik with his duel disk and Sivya with her staff. While they couldn't inflict permanent damage like Aaron and the others, nor did they have the expertise to fight them off skillfully, they could at the very least beat them back should they come too close.

"Guess you never had this happen to you before huh?" Marik began.

"I certainly have not," She replied, swinging the staff rather wildly, unused to using the staff as a fighting tool. Normally, it would have been used to help herd her goats, or to nudge one along if need be, but never like this. "It is a bit unusual," she admitted.

"Just be thankful you weren't around earlier," Marik said. "Things were a lot stranger."

"I believe you,-" Sivya, whom had managed to break away from Marik, spotted one of the Orichalcos soldiers sneaking up behind him. "Marik, duck!" she shouted. Surprisingly, he managed to hear her over the din and did so, but losing his balance and stumbling a few steps, almost into Aaron's line of fire. Just as the soldier was about to strike Marik from behind, she swung her staff about, striking the soldier across the side of the head, temporarily stunning it. Marik stood up, surprised at the ferocious expression upon her face.

"I think I love you," Marik muttered.

Sivya looked confused"What?"

"Huh?. . .I mean that staff. . .yes, I totally meant the staff!"

". . .Okay."

Aaron snorted at this. "_Smooth,_" he scoffed.

"Shut up."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-

The city streets were swarming with Orichalcos monsters of varying shapes and sizes, all proving both difficult and irritating for Yugi, Kaiba, Joey and Dartz. All three of the sword wielders were growing exhausted from the constant swinging, beating the brutes back. Thankfully, the soldiers feared the magical unraveling powers of the Swords and did their best to avoid the blades, but that didn't mean that they could still attempt to swarm and rip them from limb to limb, all while avoiding the blades.

"Is it me, or are these things really, really stupid?" Joey asked, the Sword of Renewal sinking into the throat of serpentine looking Orichalcos beast.

"I would assume that you would know that better than any of us here, Wheeler," Kaiba replied, earning a growl from Joey.

"I swear Kaiba. . ." The ruined city streets were like a maze, with rubble and the massive infrastructure of the Heartstone blocking the paths at time, such as this one, where they had found themselves wedged in between two buildings that appeared to be villas and a wall of Orichalcos stone. The Orichalcos monsters were closing in on them. "Now remind me how we got pinned here again?"

"It's called "being lost", Wheeler."

"Oh will you two stop it!" Yugi snapped. "We need to get out of here!"

"I fear that this was a miscalculation of mine," Dartz admitted. "Before, the pathway between these two villas was clear, but now the Heartstone has grown into it. I have a plan. You three plunge your blades into the Orichalcos stone, I will fend them off."

"And how do you expect to do that?" Joey asked.

Dartz pulled one of his packets from one of his pocket sleeves. "With one of these. I would suggest that you avert your eyes."

Yugi nodded and turned one-eighty, driving the blade into the crystal. There was little resistance as long spider web like cracks appeared from the point of origin; Kaiba and Joey followed suit. Pieces of the crystal sloughed away like sheets of ice from a glacier, revealing a gap large enough for them to pass through. As they did so, Dartz hurled the packet to the ground, exploding in a burst of blinding light and deafening sound. The soldiers stumbled back, screeching horribly as they shielded their eyes and covered their ears. By then, the crystal had shattered into a thousand pieces, allowing them safe passage. The now useless crystal crunched under their feet like broken glass as they plunged through the breach and into one of the many city squares.

Yugi glanced up to get better bearings of their location when he spotted the serpentine form of the Leviathan over the royal palace complex, a proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes.

"Hoo boy," Joey grumbled.

"It would seem that Midas has managed to summon the Leviathan," Dartz blandly remarked.

"Well congratulations, Captain Obvious."

Yugi faced Dartz. "The only way to beat the Leviathan would be to summon the Egyptian God Cards, no?"

Dartz gave a quick nod. "Yes, but an even more effective way would be to take out the Heartstone as well to considerably weaken the beast."

Seto slapped one of his monster cards on the disk. "Then I summon my Spear Dragon!"

"Kaiba, what'cha doin' that for!" Joey exclaimed then paused as he realized the man's plan. "Gotcha. Then I summon my Panther Warrior!"

"And I summon my Gazelle, King of Mythical Beasts! And I sacrifice all three monsters to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon!" Yugi cried out. The crimson, serpentine god emerged from the thunder clouds, lightning racing up and down Slifer's blood red scales. Both mouths opened wide to roar a challenge the Leviathan, an effort to divert the eldritch god's attentions elsewhere. The Leviathan bellowed in response and soon, both monsters were in a battle of shifting bodies and claws, white and seafoam green lightning boiling about them.

"One god card down, two more to go."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

Mai saw Slifer the Sky Dragon emerge from the sky above them to take on the now reborn Leviathan. "Yugi's summoning the God Cards!" She shouted in jubilation, a second wind taking over. By a fluke, she had accidentally summoned the two equip cards "Rose Whip and "Harpy's Nail" onto the field; however she then realized that in a way, she had equipped the cards to herself and therefore, found a loophole of sorts to take out the monsters.

"Yeah, but where are the other two?" Rebecca inquired worriedly. "Where are Obelisk and Ra?"

". . .He doesn't have enough monsters to summon them," Marik realized. "At least, not all at once."

"Then I way we give him a hand," Ryou proclaimed. "I summon Necrofear. Now, go to where Yugi and the others are at!"

"Fantastic idea! I summon my Tiger Dragon!"

"I play Cyber Harpy!"

"Keldo come on to the field!"

"I place my Millennium Golem in attack mode!"

"Ruby Dragon, enter the field!"

All six monsters flew from the scene, racing towards Slifer the Sky Dragon and where presumably Yugi and the others were at.

They could only pray and hope that they would make it in time before they were all overwhelmed by Midas' abominations.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. -.-.-.-.-.- 

"Great, now how are we supposed to get the other God cards on the field?" Joey bemoaned. "We don't have to time to summon what, six more monsters? Who knows what Midas is going now!"

Yugi shook his head, seeing the Orichalcos monsters charging towards them"I don't know. . .Wait, is that Necrofear and Cyber Harpy?"

"Hey it looks like it is!" Joey did a fist pump in triumph. "We got our answer!"

"Alright, I sacrifice Tiger Dragon, Keldo and Millennium Golem to summon Obelisk the Tormentor and Cyber Harpy, Ruby Dragon, and Necrofear to summon The Winged Dragon of Ra!" Obelisk stepped down from the heavens like Zeus stepping down from Mount Olympus, Slifer's lightning attacks highlighting the heavily muscled and angular body, while Ra looked like an avatar of the sun itself, lighting up the sky in a wreath of golden fire. Both Egyptian gods screeched harshly and raced to grapple with the Leviathan.

"Now that that's taken care of, let's take care of Midas."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-

Midas scowled as he spied the flashes of red, gold and blue in the sky; Yugi had managed to summon the three Egyptian God Cards, diverting the Leviathan's attention from expanding its rule over the mortal plane. But it was no matter, it was only a minor delay and the Leviathan would be on its way after obliterating what feeble resistance these young gods put up. They could not match the fury and the power of one as ancient as the Leviathan. He settled back on his crystal throne, his fingers drumming in mild annoyance the "throne" arms, his fingernails clicking on the smooth surface. He knew that eventually, Yugi and his companions would charge into the compound and when they did, Midas would be ready for them.

He clapped his hands once and the shadows cast by the inner light of the Heartstone began to shift and move under their own power. From the Orichalcos dogs with their almost emaciated bodies and the bulky armored soldiers to the lean serpentine creatures like that of Tel Aviv, they all began to step from the shadows, the darkness sliding off of them like they had stepped out from a cocoon.

"Let's us give our guests a warm welcoming, shall we?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-

The walls of the royal palace loomed overhead, Orichalcos crystal overwhelming sections of the once marble and granite walls. Turrets were replaced with elegant and alien spires of seafoam green. Their footsteps rang across the courtyard that ringed the complex, the terraces that were once filled with fruit trees and exotic flowers were now overflowing with coral of many colors.

"This was once a beautiful place," Dartz lamented. "How Iona, Crys and I would spend many of our days playing among the trees. . ."

"The place is big," Yugi admitted admiringly.

"Indeed."

They passed through what was once the gates leading into the main complex and were stunned by the sight that greeted them. Orichalcos grew throughout the entire place, overwhelming statues and terraces like a parasite. It glowed with a pulsating inner light, as if the stone had sentience, which all of them had surmised. The colossal formation swept out like a crescent moon, entrapping them. At the very center was the towering main structure, crystals jutting out like spikes of a reptilian's back, the myriad surfaces gleaming with the paranormal light. A twisted facsimile of a staircase lead upward to a throne, where Midas waited for them.

"Well, I was waiting for you to show up," he crowed arrogantly, his head resting on one hand. Yugi could see that his eyes gleamed with a manic light, a lunatic teetering on the edge of sanity.

Yugi pointed the Sword of Justice up at the mad. "It's over, Midas. The Leviathan is getting destroyed by Ra, Slifer and Obelisk as we speak and we have the very weapons that will wipe the Orichalcos from existence. Now step down and leave. You can end this, you can change your fate, Aker Har-Shaf."

Midas froze, eyes narrowing to tiny slits. He stood up, the voluminous robes flowing over the throne. "Where did you learn that name? Where did you learn that name!"

"From someone who cared about you."

"Nobody cared about me!" Midas snarled. "Did he spoon feed those lies to you? Of how he raised me and how I was a supposed son to him? Did he! They cursed me to this fate!" He screamed, reaching up, his fingers gripping the edge of his mask. With a single, elegant gesture, the golden mask that was integral to his identity was torn off and tossed down the steps, only to skid to a halt at Yugi's feet. It was then that Yugi caught his first glimpse, his first true glimpse at the man who had caused much pain to all of them.

His face was a ruined mass of flesh, scars crisscrossing each other like a tangle of bloody red nets. His nose was melted away like hot wax, revealing a gaping hole in the center of his face as well as his ears. His lips were gone, his gums and teeth exposed, as were his eyebrows and eyelashes. His left cheek was nothing more than taut, half melted flesh, exposing his back teeth like a grinning skeleton. His hair did not start at the temples but rather a few centimeters back, as if he were balding but that was far from the truth. A thin strip of tan flesh and relatively devoid of scars went across his eyes, possibly as a result from blocking the blast of the Millennium Spellbook, saving his eyesight in the process. His eyes were manic, shining brightly within the grip of madness. He was truly a monster in the flesh and for a moment, Yugi felt a pang of pity for the man and the horrible injuries that he had inflicted upon himself.

"This is what their lies give you!" He screamed, hands clenching into claws.

Yugi shook his head. As much as he wished to turn away from the mad man's face, he knew that he couldn't. Midas, or Aker, would see it as a moment of weakness."That is where you're wrong."

Midas' mouth twisted upwards in response. A chuckle bubbled forth, which then rose in volume and crescendo, before he erupted into maniacal laughter. The laugh echoed throughout the eerie landscape, until Yugi's ears were filled with it. "No Yugi," he hissed in between peals of laughter. "That's where you're wrong."

From the corner of his eye, Yugi could see Midas' twisted creations step forth from behind the mountains of Orichalcos, their faces in twisted grins echoing their master's. "Now I see the resemblance," Joey grumbled, the Sword of Renewal in his shaky grip. Yugi could see the man's muscles shaking, fatigue etched on both Joey's and Kaiba's features. There must have been dozens upon dozens of these monsters, now blocking their passage to Midas and the Heartstone. They were exhausted and outnumbered.

"You see Yugi," Midas sneered, settling back upon his throne. "I will always win and there is nothing you can do about. Soon, you and your friends and your loved ones will be engulfed by my forces and from there, the world. Tell me, what is it like to be faced with your own demise?

"Your own downfall?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- 

"There's too many of them!" Marik shouted, beating back one of the Orichalcos monsters. "There's no way that we'll be able to fend them off before Yugi and the others get back!"

"Don't give up yet Marik," Sivya said, her tone tenuous. "We can do this."

"Well crap, just ran out of ammunition," Aaron cursed in Yiddish, after firing the last one into the cranium of a Orichalcos dog.

"How can you run out of ammo!" Tristan shouted. "Marik says you never run out of ammo!"

"Well, when you're surrounded by hundreds of these things, it's expected that you run out!" Aaron yelled back. "Guess we better resort to Plan B."

"And what exactly would that be?" Rebecca asked.

Aaron flipped the gun so that he was now holding the sidearm by the muzzle. "It's pistol whippin' time!"

The monsters pressed onwards, until their backs were pressed up against the jet. They knew that they couldn't give up, not for their companions and not for themselves, for they would be consumed by the Orichalcos.

But they were running out of time.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

"I don't think so," Dartz growled, pulling out another packet from his robes. "You have underestimated us, I'm afraid."

"And how am I supposed to frightened by the cheesecloth you're holding in your hand, you hack?"

"By this." Dartz threw the packet of magical ingredients to the earth. Immediately, a magic circle surrounded Yugi, Kaiba and Joey. "By the power of the Spirit Realm, I summon the souls of Timeaus, Critias and Hermos to take the field in battle!"

"What!" Midas screeched.

The field fell still as the clouds overhead parted, showcasing a beautiful aurora dancing high up in the atmosphere. Suddenly, the aurora flashed once, twice three times, each time a beam of opalescence light plummeting down to the earth and into the magic circles.

Dartz smiled at Midas. "We win."

With that, his eyes rolled back and he sank to the earth like a rag doll.

"Dartz!" At once, Yugi felt a second presence in his head, pressure squeezing down on his temples like that of Atem's once upon a time, but far, far more ancient and powerful. A wave of energy was infused into his weary muscles and he felt the strength to fight a thousand battles. The best way to describe the intrusion was that of a grain sack overfilling and fit to burst. It was as if his soul and body were to tear asunder. It was not an easy transition to make room for a second soul.

_"Do not be frightened,"_ a voice, presumably Timeaus', echoed calmly in his head. _"For my kin and I are here to finish the battle for you."_

The light faded away and he could see Midas' creations shirking back, unsure of the turn of events. They were frightened and Yugi/Timeaus was going to take advantage of that.

From his lofty view, Midas could see that the battle was turning for the worse. The Leviathan was still busy with the Egyptian Gods and Dartz had managed to being the souls of Timeaus, Critias, and Hermos. Each man reflected this change in the eye color and bearing and for the first time in his very long life, Midas was growing frightened. "Very well," Midas leered. "So you managed to summon a trio of dead spirits. And now my beasts, destroy them!"

The horde surged forward once more but instead of being met with the wild erratic swings of unused swordsmen, they were met with the concise, practiced movements of battle hardened soldiers.

"Doesn't this remind you of older times?" Joey/Hermos shouted jovially at Seto/Critias.

"Only if it was the time when I managed to save your hide from that barbarian army we fought on the mainland!" Seto/Critias shouted back.

The beasts were beginning to melt away from the three but there were still too many, too many to plow through and get the the Heartstone. There had to be another way.

"Critias, Hermos!" Yugi/Timeaus called out. "I need a way cleared to the Heartstone! I have an idea but it only works if you clear the way."

"With pleasure." Seto/Critias practically crooned. "I sacrifice my Kaiser Seahorse for my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"And I sacrifice my Flame Swordsmen for Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey/Hermos answered, slapping the cards onto the disk. Both dragons hovered overhead, waiting.

"You think that that will save you!" Midas guffawed, making his way down the Orichalcos staircase, his hands wreathed in the green light of the Orichalcos, the Seal now stamped upon his forehead. "Your monsters are useless against my forces!"

"And that's exactly what we're using," Yugi/Timeaus smirked. "Now blast them away!"

"Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack with White Lightning!"

"Red Eyes, use Molten Fireball!"

The white Lightning went through the forces like a hot knife through butter, followed shortly by Red Eye's fireball, clearing whatever stragglers were left from the initial blast. The path way was only to be cleared for milliseconds, Yugi/Timeaus realized, but that was all the time he needed. He brought the Sword of Justice behind him, his hand gripping the pommel stone. He stepped forward, his arm following suit and like one throwing a baseball, Yugi/Timeaus released the Sword of Justice. The blade tumbled end over end, the metal catching the light of the aurora still overhead.

Midas smirked and reached one hand out. "Your petty attempts of valor have been in vain-" he unleashed a bolt of magic, designed to "catch" the blade and stop it from its intended trajectory. The Orichalcos magic caught the Sword of Justice in its grasp and for a moment, the Sword hovered in the air. Then, the power of the Orichalcos began to dissipate and the Sword was sliding through it, the point plunging downwards. Midas paled.

"No," his whispered. He had forgotten how the metal that comprised the Swords had the ability to "unravel" magic. "No!"

The point of the Sword of Justice buried itself into the surface layer of the Heartstone. Cracks erupted from the point of origin like a flower blooming in spring and the blade began to sink deeper and deeper into the Heartstone. The earth began to quake and pieces began to break away. Seto/Critias and Joey/Hermos took this as a cue and plunged their blades into the nearest piece of the Heartstone. All at once, everything began to change. Midas minions paused in their movements as their forms became incorporeal and translucent. They began to melt away as the afternoon sun began to pierce the magically induced cloud cover. Above them, the Leviathan writhed in agony as its power source was being siphoned away from it. Seizing the opportunity, The Winged Dragon of Ra, in Phoenix Mode, clamped its fiery beak about the abomination's throat, the holy fire searing the Leviathan's flesh. Simultaneously, Obelisk the Tormentor grabbed the beast's coils and twisted, breaking its spine while Slifer the Sky Dragon began to suffocate it. With an unearthly scream, the Leviathan seemed to explode into the shadows from whence it came, leaving nothing behind save the bewildered expressions of the trio of Egyptian gods. They too, vanished as they were no longer needed by their master.

Larger and larger pieces of the Heartstone broke away, shattering into thousands of pieces like glass. Midas stumbled from his perch, bellowing in pain as a shard of Orichalcos pierced his side, sliding in between ribs. Blood stained the once grand and regal robes. "What have you done!" He screamed.

Yugi/Timeaus walked to where the Sword of Justice was embedded. He pulled the blade out with a singular smooth motion and gazed down at Midas, whom was bleeding profusely from his side. "Doing what should have been done all those thousands of years ago."

"We need to get out of here!" Joey/Hermos shouted, narrowly avoiding a geyser of water that burst from the city floor. "The city is beginning to sink!"

Yugi/Timeaus nodded when he spied the prone body of Dartz. He rushed to the man's side, uncaring for Midas. "Dartz!" he shouted, kneeling down and cradling the man's head. "Dartz, can you hear me!"

Dartz's eyes fluttered weakly open. "It is done, is it not?" he asked, his voice barely audible. At Yugi/Timeaus' nod, he continued, "Good. Then the monster that I have created from my own folly has been defeated."

"We need to get you out of here!" Yugi/Timeaus said.

Dartz shook his head. "No. The magic from the soul transfer spell has sapped me of all my strength. I am dying Yugi, I barely have enough energy to keep my heart beating. Leave me hear, by brave knights."

Yugi/Timeaus could feel the tears stinging his eyes. "We can't leave you here!"

"Please," Dartz gasped. "It is all I ask of you. . ." His eyes became unfocused, as if he were starring off behind the three men. "Iona. . .Crys. . .Father, I'm so sorry. . .I'm. . .I'm coming home, my loves. . ." Dartz's eyes slid closed and his body went limp, head lolling to one side.

Dartz had passed away.

"No no no!" Yugi/Timeaus cried. "It can't be!"

"We need to leave now!" Seto/Critias said, pulling Yugi/Timeaus by the shoulder. "Leave him here! It's what he would have wanted!"

After a moment's hesitation, Yugi/Timeas nodded, gently placing Dartz's body on the ground.

"Should we get Midas as well?" Joey/Hermos asked. "We can't just leave him here!"

"You have a point," Yugi/Timeaus agreed, turning about to grab Midas but the man had vanished and the city was rapidly being reclaimed by water. The Heartstone and its outgrowths were gone, now nothing more than green dust on the raging winds.

"He's gone," Yugi/Timeaus muttered.

"Then we should be as well!" Joey/Hermos grabbed Yugi/Timeaus by the hand, dragging him across the rapidly disintegrating courtyard.

As the ran across the city back to the jet, the city was being reclaimed by the forces of nature once again, as it should have been all along. Just before the could reach the other side of the compound, the world seemed to freeze in time, everything about them stopped. In front of them did the familiar face of Dark Magician girl appear.

_"We must thank you for all that you have done. You have set balance to the scales of the world, as it should have been oh so long ago."_

"We appreciate the sentiment," Seto/Critias barked. "But a city that should have never existed is collapsing all about us."

_"Not at the moment,"_ The Dark Magician Girl smirked. _"I have managed to freeze time here for a short while, to tie up a few loose ends. Timeaus, Critias, Hermos, it is time to come home."_

The pressure in Yugi's head receded and within moments, he was the three knights, in their armor, standing alongside the Dark Magician Girl. In Hermos' arms rested the body of Dartz.

"And the Swords?" Yugi asked.

_"You are not quite finished with them just yet. We will retrieve them when your final task is finished."_

"But what about Dartz?" Yugi asked, feeling more like himself. As much as he hated admitted it, it was a relief to have only one voice in his head at the present.

_"We will take him home, to be placed alongside his family as it should have been. He has more than redeemed himself. Now, we must be off, as you should as well, your loved ones are waiting for you."_ In a shimmering wave of light, like that of the aurora, the party vanished and time unfroze, the world now back to normal.

"Now, I say that we get out of here before we become a part of the sunken city of Atlantis!" Joey said, dragging both Yugi and Kaiba along and out of the city before it collapsed on them.

**The story ain't over yet! DUNDUNDUN.**

** Also I ran out of stuff to say here. . .sorry?*shrugs***


	59. Chapter 59: Checkmate

Chapter 59: Checkmate

They noticed that something wasn't right with the hordes of monsters that surrounded them, Ishizu noted. A few moments, that had all froze, their gazes turning towards the direction of the royal palace, where the Heartstone was located. A blazing aurora in the sky appeared shortly thereafter and three beams of light pierced through the heavens. Then a few minutes later, the city began to buckle and rumble, as if the very earth was writhing in pain. The monsters, which had remained hesitant in that span of minutes melted away into nothing more than shadows from whence they came.

"Did they. . .did they win?" Rebecca asked from her hands and knees, for a temblor had knocked all of them to the ground.

"I would think so. . .Ack!" As Aaron attempted to stand back upright, another temblor had caught him off balance, causing him to strike his head on the jet's wing.

"We need to get out of here!" Marik shouted, helping Sivya upright. During the fight, the girl had sustained some bruises on her arms and torso, as well as a cut above her right eye.

"Seconded!" Tea was already on the steps. "Come on, let's go!" They all were ushered in by Tea, who had insisted on remaining outside, waiting for Yugi and the others to run to the plane. "come on Yugi, please make it," she prayed. "Please. . ."

After a few heart stopping moments, the three silhouettes of Joey Yugi and Kaiba running towards them appeared around a corner, shielding their heads from falling debris, their clothes soaked through with sea water.

"What took you guys so long?" She cried out as Yugi ran up the steps.

"We got held up," he replied and Tea noticed how Yugi's eyes weren't the exact same color. One was the usual vibrant violet that she had expected, the other had a hint of teal about the edges. She made a mental note of asking later.

"And where's Dartz?" Serenity asked, while embracing her brother, despite his dampness.

". . .We. . .we had to leave him behind," Joey replied sadly.

Kaiba pushed past all of them. "Roland, we need to get away from here as fast as we can."

"Right away sir." The engines roared to life and began to rotate, lifting the jet straight up; it was a special feature Kaiba had built in, to have the ability to take off without the use of a runway. The KaibaCorp jet escaped in time, for the street where the plane was parked crumbled and gave way to the ocean, which immediately poured into the crater.

As the plane soared away, it was buffeted by supernatural winds at gale force. Nearly everyone flew out of their seats as the plane went sideways. "Would anybody care to explain why the plane's going sideways? I think I'm going to throw up," Aaron groaned.

"I suspect that the influx of magical energies is creating this backlash of sorts. We need to land before we're overwhelmed by the energies," Ishizu explained, undoing her seat belt and began to head towards the cockpit. She stormed into the cockpit, much to the surprise or Roland and Seto. "We need to land this plane as soon as possible before the magical backlash created by the Orichalcos plummets us to the sea!"

"You think I don't know that!" Kaiba shouted, wrestling with the controls. "The nearest piece of land is Donana National Park, just a quick flight from here. Now get back in your sear before something happens to you."

"Your concern is touching, Seto," Ishizu remarked before exiting.

"It's not concern-" Seto sputtered but his protests fell on deaf ears. Roland had to fight a smile gracing his lips.

"What are you smirking about?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was only by a miracle that Midas was able to teleport himself out of there, especially as grievously wounded. He dragged himself to the top of a hill of Donana National Park, propping his broken body against a boulder. All of his plans, thousands of years of planning, waiting and orchestrating and it was gone in minutes. His one chance for mortality, to be free of his mortal coil was gone, taken from him.

"Is this a cruel trick?" He cried out to the heavens, knowing that they wouldn't answer. "First you burn me, then you curse me, and then you take away my last hope for freedom away from me! You sick bastards!" He coughed, blood flecks staining his torso and sleeves. A tear ran down his cheek as he waited for fate to deal him the final blow.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The plane managed to land just in time, as a shockwave that would have rivaled most hydrogen bombs ripped across the landscape, forcing the plane sideways twenty yards, the tires leaving deep furrows into the earth. The shockwave passed over in an instant and whatever magical energies lingered now faded into the landscape like mist. Joey was the one who peeked his head out from behind the plane door first.

"I think the coast is clear guys."

"Good." Mai went past him before seating herself on the dirt and letting out a deep breath. "It would be nice to just sit here a while, letting it sink in that we defeated the Orichalcos once and for all."

Joey sat next to her, the Sword of Renewal across his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder and he smiled. "Agreed."

It's not over yet," Yugi said sadly. "Remember, the Dark Magician Girl said that we had one more task to fulfill."

"And task do you think that is?" Tea inquired, not knowing of this turn of events.

Just as Yugi was about to answer, an anguished cry of a familiar voice rang about the landscape. Involuntarily, Yugi clenched the hilt of the Sword of Justice. The voice clearly belonged to Midas. "I guess we're about to find out."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

He heard their footsteps long before Midas saw him, Yugi and his companions heading up the hill. Blood from a shallow cut on his brow trickled down, diminishing his sight. "It would seem that fate has indeed one more punishment set in store for me," he wheezed mockingly.

Yugi came to a stop a few feet away from the man, the Sword of Justice already drawn, the point of the sword hovering near Midas' heart. From his viewpoint, Midas was clearly a broken and dying man. He was bleeding from multiple cuts, shards of Orichalcos piercing his flesh. His right leg was at a unnatural angle, bone protruding from the shin. The flesh about it was swelling rapidly and turning an unpleasant shade of violet and blue. It was clear that Midas was not going to be moving any time soon nor ever. A mocking smile ghosted on his lips as the once eerie green eyes, now the dark brown of his heritage, bore into his, making Yugi shift uncomfortably."It's over Midas. You've lost."

"So it would seem," the man lamented, a crooked smile gracing his face. "Or so you would think." A plan was already formulating in his mind, one that would solve all his problems.

"What do you mean?" Yugi growled. In response, Joey and Kaiba drew their blades.

""What I mean is," Midas coughed once more, a fine mist of blood gracing the ruined mouth, "is that light never triumphs over dark, the two. . .the two are always there. . .dancing their immortal dance. . .Day and night. . .sun and moon."

"You're speaking in riddles, Midas. Now speak clearly," Yugi warned.

"Oh, but of course. . .what I mean is that you haven't truly won. . ." Midas wheezed. "You see as the. . .as the old saying goes. . .nature abhors a vacuum. . ." As he finished, one hand whipped out, quick as an cobra's bite and clenched the blade of the Sword of Justice. Ignoring the fact that the blade was burning the flesh off his hand, Midas plunged the blade into his chest, blood coursing from the mortal wound. Yugi stumbled forward from the sudden movement, where he was inched away from Midas. Blood spattered his cheek as Midas's wound coursed like a river. The man's pallor was turning a ghastly gray and Yugi realized that Midas had done. By impaling himself on the Sword of Justice, he was unraveling the curse of immortality that had been cast on him by the gods themselves. He was killing himself.

Midas leaned forward to whisper in the man's ear:

"I win."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.

Without the tools handy to give Midas, or Aker Har-Shaf the proper burial, they had decided to create a cairn using nearby rocks to protect his corpse from the elements. Not even a man such as Midas deserved such a fate. The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, casting its long shadows. Yugi stood over the cairn, the Sword of Justice in his hand, Midas' blood still on the blade. How ironic that in by killing himself, Midas had allowed the souls of those who had cared for him and raised him to journey to the field of Reeds. Was that his plan all along, to secure mortality for himself or for those who had once loved him like a son? Maybe there was some good him in after all, his wicked deeds all leading up to the redemption of his soul. Maybe it was something else entirely. He knew that he would never know the true answer.

He felt Joey's hand upon his shoulder. "You just gonna stand there all day Yuge'?"

"Hmm? Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Eh, I don't blame you. Considering all the crap Midas put us through, and in what, almost two weeks, it's seems kind of. . .anticlimactic, with him dying this way."

"I guess. . .but it doesn't exactly feel like two weeks though," Yugi admitted with a sigh. "There are so many questions that I feel need to be answered though."

"Yuge', I'm sure that we all have those questions but the guy's deader than a doornail and he can't exactly answer them. I think it's safe to say that we can move on."

". . .That was the worst way of putting that Joey."

" Now that I think about it, yeah, it kind of was."

Just beyond the cairn, the air shimmered and danced like back at Atlantis. It was the Dark Magician Girl, alone this time. She cast a weary, almost saddened glance at the cairn and Yugi had the nagging sense that she knew whom the tomb was for.

_"Hello again Yugi. I apologize for arriving at a most inconvenient hour."_

The other blinked in surprise. "Please tell me that is a hologram," Aaron whispered to Mokuba.

"I suspect that you're here for these?" With that, Yugi raised the Sword of Justice so that the point was facing downwards, as if Midas' blood was to drip from it like a morbid water clock. "I killed someone with this. You happy now? Was this the final task? To kill someone?"

The Dark Magician Girl hesitated before answering. _"You gave the man a chance for redemption and in that, the salvation of lost and wayward souls. I cannot say that it was what I had intended for you but sadly, it was the only way. I wish I could say that I am sorry, but I cannot."_

"So now what, we just go on back with our lives then?" Seto Kaiba scoffed. "Act like this never happened like we always do?"

_"On the contrary, you never truly went back to your lives, not since the day the Millennium Puzzle was completed. You all have succeeded where others were unable: putting the end of a war that should have never been begun in the first place. In such a short span of time, friendships have been forged, relationships once torn asunder repaired anew, old wounds healed and inner peace and salvation achieved. Tell me Seto Kaiba, after all of that, why would you want to go back to the way things were? The blinders were torn off long ago and we cannot travel the world blind to the shadows about us, that much we learned with the Heartstone. You, all of you must accept that, for you are the last line of defense between those whom are unaware and the endless night._

_ "I pray that you may never place yourself in harm's way to defend all that is right and good. All of you deserve a break from all of this, but I cannot guarantee that._

_ "But until that day comes around again, I wish all of you long and fulfilling lives."_ The Dark Magician Girl held her hand out. _"And now, the Swords please."_

One by one, each of them handed the Swords of Justice, Wisdom and Renewal over, although Joey was admittedly was a little reluctant to hand his blade over. "It was friggin' Excalibur man," Joey complained while dutifully handing it over.

_"Thank you and may peace be unto you."_ The dancing auroras flared to life once more and the Dark Magician was gone.

"Now what?" Marik asked. "I mean, is the Orichalcos gone?"

Yugi turned to Marik, seeing the glimmer of hope in the man's eyes and he recalled how Odion had fallen under the curse of the Orichalcos, the other victims at the island as well. "Yes, the Orichalcos has been destroyed and all of those who were entrapped by it are now free."

"Did you hear that Ishizu? Odion's better now!" He laughed, his face breaking in a wide grin. In his excitement, he gripped Sivya by the waist and raised her up in the air whilst spinning about in jubilation. Sivya squeaked in surprise, her smile mirroring his own as she wrapped her arms about his neck to keep her balance. He placed her down at last, his hands unwilling to leave her waist. That was when he realized that her fingers were caught in the tresses of his hair and that she was standing very close to him.

"Odion's better now," he said softly, heart racing. He could see his reflection in her eyes and for once, Marik no longer had to worry about anything, as long as he was here with her.

"For crying out loud, will you two just kiss and get it over with!" Aaron said in exasperation. "I have been literally tearing my hair out for days—ouch! Ishizu, will you stop that! I'm going to have no toes left when you're done!"

Marik blushed. "I um. . .uh. . .I think that we should oblige him. . .before well, you know. . ."

Sivya looked hurriedly away, a shy smile gracing her lips. "I. . .I think we should too. . ."

And they did.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The last thing Odion remembered was Marik cradling him as the Seal of Orichalcos was closing in. He shot upright in the bed. The Orichalcos, he thought in a panic, looking about wildly. He was in a hospital obviously, judging by the medical equipment flanking him and the electrodes on his bare chest.

A woman next to the bed chuckled dryly. She was clad in black pants and a white collared shirt. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, revealing the Star of David necklace resting about her neck. "It is nice to see you awake at last, Mr. Ishtar."

"I.. .how long have I been like this?"

"A week, give or take a day or so."

"Then Marik won then."

"I guess. Aaron didn't exactly give me the details. He just said that I owed him a favor and then stuck me on bedside duty."

"Well. . .I thank you."

She shrugged. "Like I said, it was a favor. Oh, and Aaron called, they said that they would be here in a day or so."

Odion smiled. "I am glad to hear of this. I have sorely missed my family. Once again, I thank you for everything that you have done."

She got out of the chair smiling back, for Odion's broad toothy grin was contagious. "It was no problem Mr. Ishtar. Now I have to get going, I don't do very well with family reunions."

"Very well. Thank you Ms.-"

"You may call me Ziva."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- 

He heard Marik in the hospital lobby before he saw him, the young man running across the linoleum floor, grasping the hand of Sivya as both made their way across. It would seem that Marik was finally to achieve something that his heart was looking for for a vary long. Both of them collided into him and he wrapped them in a hug. Ishizu followed shortly after and the four were able to be reunited for the first time in a while. It may have been a handful of weeks, but for them, it felt like forever

"You're okay Odion," Marik sobbed into Odion's shirt, "you're okay."

"Yes I am, thanks to you."

Marik pulled away. "It wasn't just me. . " He gestured to Yugi and the others hovering a few yards away. "It was all of us."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

Mai sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair, thinking. During the entire flight back to the resort island, Mai had been thinking, a lot. She was as happy as she had ever been, to be with Joey but for the longest time, four years at least, she and Vivian had been essentially glued at the hip. Vivian, for all her wild and flighty ways, had never judged Mai, nor pried into her past and accepted the woman for who she was, as a loner, sometimes broody best friend. Mai on the other, liked to think of herself as someone who reined in Vivian's wild tendencies and flirtatious behaviors. Also Vivian made a fantastic drinking buddy and dueling partner. She certainly didn't want Vivian to feel like she had ditched her for her new romantic interest, but she didn't want to leave him either, not after reconnecting with him so soon and after so long. She had no desire to lose any moments with the man, not that she would admit it out loud and especially to him. She had to maintain the man's ego after all.

"Contemplating the mysteries of the universe?" It was Joey, looking down at her with a bemused expression. "Hint: the answer is always forty-two."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"What, no witty retort. Now there is something wrong." He sat down next to her. "What's eating you?"

"I feel, well, stuck. I mean, Vivian and I have been together for what seems like forever but now. . .now that I'm here, with all of you guys," she reached and placed a hand on his thigh. "I don't want to leave. It's nice feeling to be wanted you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"But I don't want to feel like I'm abandoning Vivian?"

"You could always go talk to her," he suggested. "I would hate to be the one to break your friendship. I've seen that _way_ too many times in high school. It was ugly," he frowned.

"Always to the point, aren't you?"

"I assumed that you wanted advice, so I'm doling it out. I'm like a fortune cookie."

"Fortune cookies are never accurate."

"Had the kill that one didn't you?"

"See, I still have the witty retorts."

"My point is is that you should go talk to her. And even if she wants you to stick around for a little longer, I'm not going anyway. I'm sticking right here, like super glue and you can never break things that have been super-glued. Duct tape perhaps, not speaking from personal experience I swear, but not super glue."

"I don't know if I exactly want my relationship to be described as super glued. People might think we have problems and not the relationship kind."

"Who cares about them?" He kissed her on the lips. "Now go have some girl time."

"Thank you."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .

She sat comfortably in the hospital bed, a cup of chocolate pudding in her hand, the spoon dangling in her mouth as she was engrossed in the latest plot line of her Bollywood soap opera. Were Mai here, she would have told Vivian that she had a clear problem. Vivian would have disagreed heartily. She had awakened a few hours and promptly demanded a cup of chocolate pudding from the nurses for compensation for her ordeal. From what they told her, she had been unconscious for nearly two weeks, something that distressed Vivian mightily. She had been hoping to see Mai duel during the tourney—after all, that was what best friends did for each other—and she missed the bloody thing.

At the very least, Midas had delicious chocolate pudding.

Vivian had no shame in admitting that she had a chocolate addiction.

She paused her show for a moment, craning her head, swearing she heard Mai's voice. The voices were becoming louder and Vivian wanted to jump out of bed; it _was_ Mai. Good, because the woman had a lot of explaining to do. Mai was talking with somebody however, a man, with an accent. She listened more carefully and giggled when she recognized the tone and timbre. Mai was talking with Joey Wheeler.

Now _this,_ Mai had to explain.

Vivian slipped out from the covers, her slippers squeaking loudly on the linoleum floor and she froze. Mai had gotten the slippers with built in squeakers as a gag gift for Christmas last year and as much as Vivian hated to admit it, they were the most comfortable things she ever wore on her feet. Unfortunately though, there was the whole "squeaking" factor to deal with. Vivian, feeling much too lazy to slip them off—the floor was cold you know—ignored the high pitched noise anyway and decided to investigate, peeking her head out the doorway to hear and see better.

Mai was sitting at a row of hospital chairs, talking animatedly with Joey, as she suspected but Vivian could sense an intimacy between them, something that either A), she never really paid attention too, or B)., that this was a wholly new change of events. Vivian presumed the latter when she caught a glimpse of their expressions. Oh yes, this was something new and Vivian was going to interrogate Mai for _all_ the juicy details. Clearly, Vivian had missed more than she realized.

Even more so when Joey placed a kiss on Mai's lips.

It was then that Vivian decided to make plans to buy a bridemaid's dress soon.

Mai got up from her seat and Vivian realized that she was heading towards her room. So she did what any eavesdropping friend would do: bolt back to the bed and act as if nothing had happened, her slippers squeaking horrendously

Mai popped her head in there."Just as I suspected, you're sitting there eating chocolate and watching your Bollywood soap operas," she teased.

"Don't judge me, I went through a horrifically ordeal remember? And I'm going to milk it."

"Well, that's one way of looking at a almost two week coma," Mai shrugged, taking a seat next to the bed. "How're you feeling?"

"Pretty good actually. I'm starving and I'm _waaaay_ behind on my shows, but nothing that I can't fix," Vivian replied innocently.

". . .Okay Vivian, what did you hear?"

"What makes you think I heard anything?"

"I heard those slippers of yours squeaking like gangbusters. They work better than most tracking devices."

"Oh funny. So who's the handsome stud you were with then?" Vivian asked, liking her spoon.

"I think you know who he is."

"Yeah, but I want to hear you say it. Go on Mai, say it."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Fine, it's Joey."

"'Bout time," Vivian muttered into the bowl of pudding.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh. . ." Mai was skeptical.

"So, what's on your mind? Romantic dates and what not I presume."

"No, it's not that. I feel. . .caught, about something."

"About him? I'd say you're crazy having doubts. He's one fiiiinnne looking guy if I do say so myself—you can stop glaring at me now."

"No, it's not that. It's just that. . .well, it seems that we've been hanging out forever but. . ."

"Go for it."

"What? You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Course I do. I'm your BFF, your sister from another mother, your. . ."

"I get it," Mai interrupted.

"This is the happiest I've seen you in a long, _looong_ time and trust me, I think that four years is a frigging long time. He makes you happy and I want to see you happy, so go be with him. I'm okay by myself. If anything, I won't be judged for my Bollywood binges at the hotel rooms."

"That cost me a hundred dollars on my tab."

"It's not my fault that they put it on Pay-Per-View. The point is that I want to see you happy and if being with him makes you happy, then go for it. Be with him. I don't mind. But, if you're so deprived without me, I'll just get an apartment in Domino City and stalk you, camera and everything."

"Well, that makes me feel better," Mai remarked.

"The sappy romantic BFF advice or the stalking thing?"

"Take your pick."

"Let's do both and call it even."

". . .I have the weirdest friends."

"Yeah, but aren't we awesome? You should get back to your boy toy. I think he misses you," she flashed Mai a saucy wink.

Mai blushed. "Vivian, he's not a boy toy!. . ."

"I'm kidding Mai. Besides, I need to start shopping for a bridemaid's dress soon. Think I'll look good in chiffon?"

"Vivian!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Joey spied her with a lighter spring in her step as she came out of the room. He stretched as he got up from the chair, which was probably the most painful thing he had ever sat on; he suspected that hospital chairs were made for people to feel uncomfortable.

"What's the news—umph!" She entwined her arms about his neck as she leaned in.

"You know," she whispered in his ear, "we never did have that dinner date you wanted to take me out on."

He shuddered as her breath ghosted across his ear and neck. "I thought that we had made up for it by playing poker."

"So you think."

". . .I think I'm looking forward to it."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He sat on the porch of the hotel room he had stayed in, legs dangling over the balcony, watching the sky get darker and darker as the night passed, the clouds changing hues as easily as a man would change clothes. To think that the island was now all his, the prize for winning the tournament, among other things. He didn't even know what to do with it, to start with. Maybe he'll just give it all away; he had no use for such wealth. The Kaibas did a lot of charity work, maybe he could give some suggestions.

His eyes caught a glimpse of the jacket he had been wearing, the spray of Midas's blood still on the sleeve and collar. Yugi shivered. He had killed a man, although his friends might protest otherwise. Either way, Midas' blood was literally on his hands. He may not have driven the blade into the man's chest cavity, but he held the weapon nonetheless. He had seen the man's eyes turn glassy like cloudy marbles as the life faded from them, the burnt hand going limp as he laid there against the rock like a broken rag doll. At least they had given him a decent burial, keeping whatever predators that roamed the park away from the body.

Yugi guessed that he would have nightmares for many nights to come.

There was a knock at the sliding glass door. Yugi spun about to find Tea there, her hair long and flowing in the breeze like an earthy curtain. "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"No you aren't. I welcome it actually."

"Good. We didn't see you at dinner and I was getting a little worried."

"I wasn't very hungry. Besides, I thought that everybody had scattered for the evening."

"That would be Mai and Joey," Tea said with a sly smile. "Guess Mai managed to get him to wear a tie, from what I saw."

"Mai and Serenity have Joey wrapped about their little fingers."

"I don't think he minds too much actually." Tea let her legs dangle free and Yugi had to keep himself from staring. "What's on your mind?"

"Stuff, I guess," he said with a shrug.

"You know that it wasn't your fault, right?"

"I know, but you still feel bad about it."

"If it's any comfort, you helped Midas, well, Aker, on to the afterlife, and the priests who raised him too."

"Yeah. . .I guess," he muttered. In truth, he was thinking about something else, something that he couldn't tell Tea, well not without killing their friendship, he feared.

". . .Okay, know I know that something is bothering you. What is it?"

Yugi froze; Tea was on to him. She had the uncanny ability to catch on to the nuances that more often than not, betrayed his true mood. "I've. . .I've been thinking. . .about us. . ."

He heard Tea's breath hitch just a little and Yugi began to wonder if this wasn't the greatest idea after all. But at this point, it was too late in the game to take back what he said. "Like. . .like back the hotel room, where we were hanging out, you know."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about." If Yugi had cared to take a sidelong glance at her, he would see the heat rising off her cheeks, an encouraging sign.

"Were we. . .were we about to do that?" The words tumbled out before he could rephrase it. To him, there was a hint of both hope and curiosity in the tone, a question that had been on his mind since that day.

Tea was quiet for a beat and Yugi panicked, thinking that he had stepped over the line, that their friendship was now ruined.

She spoke. "Well. . .that would depend. . ."

"On what?" he asked meekly.

"Well, I thought the hero was always supposed to kiss the princess." She teased. It would seem that he wasn't so crazy after all.

Yugi winked. "If you insist. . ."

**Bet you didn't see that ending coming. . .well maybe the slew of shippings but certainly not Midas pulling **_**that**_** move. For some reason, as I was writing the character of Midas, he began to remind me **_**just**_** a touch of Scar. Is anybody else getting that vibe or is it just me? It's probably me.**

** . . .And, one more chapter to go! Whoohoo*begins sobbing***


	60. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Two years later. . ._

"At this rate," Marik groaned, practically flopping about in the chair. "I'm never going to get to dance with her! It's like every time I get a chance to, her relatives whisk her away. Whoosh! Just like that." He played with the collar of his tuxedo in annoyance, scowling.

"I thought you said that they only get to see her in what, once in a blue moon?" Joey asked about a mouthful of hoe d'oeuvres. They were all sitting at a large table at the reception, which was taking place at the ballroom of a very nice hotel. It was nice to have connections, Marik determined when scoping the place out. It was also nice to be able to have Mokuba's assistance in such matters too. Evidently, dropping the Kaiba name about whilst making reservations was a powerful tool.

"Yeah, and they already had one wedding with her, why do they have to take the second one too?"

"No offense mate, but yer gettin' kin' of w'iny," Valon said, taking a swig from his champagne. "Jus' grab 'er before the nex' song, mate. Easy as pie."

"She's my wife, I have every right to whine."

"Remind me to use that excuse," Joey muttered to Tristan.

"Like Mai would ever let you get away with it," he snorted back.

"Maybe I'll have Aaron do a rescue mission or something."

"When I'm dealing with terrorists, yeah I'll do it," Aaron began, hands upraised. "Angry in-laws. . . eh. . not so much. It was bad enough that they were glaring daggers at me when Odion and I were escorting her down the aisle."

" what I want to know is why you're here," Joey said pointedly to Valon.

"For t'e milliont' time, yer sister invited me along. Ain't t'at what plus one means?"

"Unfortunately," Joey sighed.

"Well, at least I'm not grumpy gills over there," Marik jabbed a thumb to Seto Kaiba, looking a little uncomfortable at his seat.

"Yer still w'inin'," Valon argued.

"I don't do good with weddings," Seto admitted.

"You don't do good with most social gatherings, period," Mokuba agreed. "Usually I'm the one who has to plan everything," he said to the boys in a stage whisper.

"Not helping Mokuba," Seto replied.

"I wonder what's taking the girls so long," Yugi observed, looking about, partly not getting dragged in the middle of this.

"Probably gettin' t'eir makeup done or somethin'. Ain' that what girls do anyway?" Valon asked.

"That's treading in dangerous waters my man," Duke warned. "Like, shark infested waters level."

"You know, I've always wondered why women travel in packs," Aaron mused, fiddling with a toothpick. "It's like watching some African migration on the BBC, they way they go about their business."

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Tristan responded.

Bakura came by the table, his plate full of various snacks or something. "You guys better get to the buffet table. It's like the plague of locusts came by there."

"Before or after you went through there?" Duke drawled, eying the plate.

In response, Ryou threw a grape at him.

"Be nice Duke," Yugi scolded playfully as the man nursed his nose. Bakura had unerring aim, something they had learned one or two times in their friendship. "Besides, I'm guessing that he brought the food for all of us, right?" he winked.

Yugi got a grape to the nose too.

"You mock me now, just wait until later when somebody "accidentally" trips during the dances."

"Oh snap, he's all serious business now," Joey laughed. "I feel bad for you guys."

"I didn't start it," Yugi jokingly protested. "It's all Duke's fault."

"Oh sure, blame this guy."

Marik sighed and turned to Odion. "We do we hang out with these people?"

Odion chuckled, "you invited them, not me."

"What's Joey moaning about now?" Mai inquired, leading their small troop of women: Tea, Serenity, Rebecca, Ishizu—whom had come reluctantly along, and herself. They all wore their bridemaid's dresses, a shade of pale blue that flared out towards the end. As per the request of the bride's relatives, they wore transparent silver shawls over their shoulders.

Joey pointed to Marik. "I'm not that one moaning, he is!"

"Look, it's not my fault that my in-laws have absconded with my wife. I'm about ready to have Aaron over here do some sort of Israeli ninja strike and get her back."

"I said to not get me involved!"

Tea turned to Mai. "And this is why we don't leave the boys by themselves."

"It's like herding cats," Serenity added. "And why are there grapes all over the table?"

"Bakura started it," Duke pointed.

"That's it, I'm sooo tripping you on that dance floor."

". . And the maturity level of the ballroom has dropped exponentially as we stand here," Rebecca remarked. "Hey! You can't use grapes as a weapon! That's cheating!"

"So you say. . ." Bakura chuckled, interlacing his fingers and resting his head on them.

"Is it me or are we getting a creepy suave Bond villain vibe from you, Bakura?" Tristan asked.

"Indeed." Bakura turned to Yugi. "No Mr. Muto, I expect you to die mwahaha."

Marik slumped forward, resting his chin on the table. "No wonder Sivya's relatives think all Americans are crazy. . ." He turned to Ishizu. "Somebody save me from the crazy people."

"You invited them."

As he said this, the music in the background began to die away and the crowds parted just a little, enough for a young woman in a white dress to press through the crowds, a bouquet of blue, violet and white flowers wrapped in silver lace in one hand, as the other held up the skirt of her dress.

"And speaking of the bride," Mai said. "Here comes Mrs. Sivya Ishtar."

Sivya smiled, standing next to Marik. "I'm terribly sorry about that Marik. It would seem that my relatives are a little reluctant to let me go, Hassan most of all."

"You said that he hadn't seen you in years," Odion said. "It is only a natural response."

"Yeah. . ." Marik added.

"Says the man who's been sulking for the past five minutes," Joey said, ribbing the man in the ribs."

"Your husband pouts a lot, doesn't he?" Tea asked.

Sivya laughed a little behind her bouquet. "It depends. . ."

"And now even my own wife is against me," Marik sighed dramatically, waving his hands in the air. "I'm giving up now."

"Don't do that," Sivya pleaded. "Besides, according to Tea and Mai, I still need to throw the bouquet, although I must admit I'm still not very sure why."

"It's tradition hun," Mai answered, draping an arm across Sivya's shoulders.

"What Mai means is that it's pretty much done at all American weddings. Basically, you throw it over your shoulder to where a group of ladies, us and all of your cousins, will try to catch it. Whomever catches the bouquet is supposedly going to get married next," Tea explained.

"Which according to logic, would be me," Mai wiggled her left hand in response, where her ring caught the chandelier lights of the ballroom.

" Which you keep reminding us every fifteen minutes," Rebecca snorted.

"I think it's very gorgeous Mai," Serenity said.

"Thank you Serenity."

Sivya turned to Marik, wriggling free of Mai's grip. "I guess we better go toss the bouquet. Do you want to come?"

He kissed her on the forehead. "If it means I can actually spend some time with you, then yes, I would love to."

Meanwhile, Mai dragged Joey out of his chair. "Come on, I've got a bouquet to catch."

"But I thought it didn't matter since we had set a date already—yeeouch!"

..-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They cleared the center of the ballroom with Sivya standing nervously in the middle, her back turned to her friends and girl cousins. "Why are American traditions so different?" She whispered to Marik. One hand held the bouquet, the other, Marik's hand.

"Ask the Americans," he whispered back. "You'll do fine, I promise."

"I hope so," Then louder, she asked, "I'm doing this right, right?"

"Don't worry kid, you're doing fantastic, now just toss it."

"Okay. . ." closing her eyes shut, Sivya flung the bouquet over her left shoulder. She could hear them jostling over it, then an awkward silence ensued.

Curious, she turned about to find out and looked mortified. "Marik, I think I threw it too high."

Marik broke out laughing. "No, I think you did it just fine."

Seto swore that he had been standing far enough away from the crowds when Sivya was to the traditional bouquet but when the bouquet landed in his arms, clearly it wasn't far enough. He looked down at it, as if waiting for it to spring to life. "This. . Is a bit unexpected," he confessed, looking at the seemingly innocent cluster of flowers. He then caught the flash of light from a camera phone going off. "Wheeler, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking a picture what do you think I'm doing? I have to immortalize this somehow. I think it'll be my screen saver from now on. Wait, maybe not I don't want Kaiba's mug staring at me every time I go to look at the screen. Maybe Facebook instead."

"I swear that if you put that on the internet. . ."

Yugi laughed behind his hand at the scene unfolding. Eventually and almost hesitantly, Seto handed the bouquet over to Ishizu whom smiled behind the bouquet almost shyly, much to the amusement of the Ishtars, now with one additional member. He had to admit, life was good. No supernatural occurrences, no saving the world and relatively little drama—just don't mention the buffet incident and Joey having a habit of forgetting anniversaries. It was as if all the years of trials and tribulations were leading up to this, all these rewarding experiences.

"What are you thinking Yugi?" Tea asked, entwining her hand with his own. Yugi could feel her engagement ring in his palm.

"I'm thinking that we have the craziest, greatest group of friends and family in the world." He said, watching Seto try to get Joey's cell phone away from him before the man posted the pictures, Marik and Sivya laughing heartily while watching this and Mai massaging the temples of her forehead, looking both exasperated and pleased at her fiance at the same time.

She kissed him on the cheek and leaned against him. "I agree."

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

_ I write this not to tell a tale that has been told, but to keep it from being lost to the sands of time. The war fought between light and dark, of the Shadows and the Orichalcos, it is over. We won. I write this to pass on to the generations beyond my own, to the children and the parents about the fires in the darkest of winters and the darkest of times. To know that even when the night seems endless and the shadows grow ever so closer, there will always be those whom stand in between us and the night. It may be an army of soldiers or it may be a few armed with Duel Disks and shadows, but they will always be there._

_ I write this to teach of forgiveness and salvation, of love and wrath and of the bonds that tie people more than blood relations ever could. I write to tell of broken relationships forged anew, love won and of faith renewed. Closure has been found, the balance had been righted again._

_ Even if the men whom walk upon the dusty earth forget, we of the Beast Realm will not and never will, for we shall pass it on to those who are willing to listen and to learn from it._

_ I will write of this, for I am the only one who can. I am the Emissary and the Prophet, who once walked the sands of Ancient Egypt and the Rings of Atlantis. I am the teller of tales and the weaver of legends, but even I cannot rise to the level of greatness these people have._

_ I tell of the tale for all and I pray that we may never have need to learn from this tale again. They've earned their rest and as have I. This is not my tale, but theirs and it will always stay that way through the ripples of eternity_

_ Peace unto them and peace unto all who read this tome._

_ The Dark Magician Girl_

**And the tale of "Atlantis Rising" is now complete. All the trials and tribulations, the writer's block all throughout those two years, it was all worth it. I don't even know how to begin thanking each and every one of you guys who took the time to give this story a chance and read/review/fave etc. If it weren't for you guys, I doubt I would have gone all the way with such a tale of massive proportions. Seeing the reviews, the support the constructive criticism, it always made my day. I wish I could thank each and everyone of you individually, but it would take so long I don't know where to start. I never expected getting 300+ reviews. . .I never expected any of this and yet here we are, at the end of it. **

** I don't know how to feel right now, I don't know how to express my gratitude but I can only hope that you guys stick around and continue giving me the undeserved support that I have been given. I probably don't deserve it. You guys are all awesome.**

** Thank you.**

** Peace, God Bless, and may all of your dreams and goals be guided by dragon wings,**

** ~Gweniveve Skyes**

**PS: For all of those who wish to hear more of the tales and plotlines in between, I will be releasing a one-shot collection known as "The Tales of Atlantis" and I so wish to hear any suggestions and comments for the one shots housed within, just a a bit of gratitude for all of your support. If you have any ideas or requests you would like for me to write (and thank you for), please let me know. I'm welcome to hearing all of them. Thanks again.**

** Seriously, you're all awesome.**


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